On November 2nd, 2016, MALA held its Annual Fundraising Dinner, themed “Celebrating the American Dream”, at Hubbard Inn Chicago. Over 100 attendees gathered to celebrate and commemorate MALA’s milestones and success. Not only was the event a success, but the Chicago Cubs also won the World Series Championship for the first time since 1908.

In conjunction to the dinner and fundraising efforts, MALA also recognized community leaders with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Through a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, the President’s Volunteer Service Award celebrates the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world. This prestigious recognition is a civil award bestowed by the President of the United States, Barack Obama.

This year, MALA was honored to present this honorable award to the following individuals for their dedication, contribution, and commitment to volunteerism:

Ahmed Omar
Emil Aldaddah
Naeem Uddin
Albert Pak
Zainab Khan
Logan Meinerz
Sadia Covert
Lauren Lewis
Isra Omar

Photo credits are given to Stan Magoni Photography. We thank our donors, supporters, and volunteers for making this event a collective success! For full access to the photo album from the event, please click here.