IMANI HOUSE Hosts the 5th Annual Virtual Fundraiser

Giving Thanks, Giving Back

Contribute Thanksgiving Day & Beyond

Vol. 5– 2013

IMANI HOUSE ON THE FRONT LINES - BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER - JOIN US!! BROOKLYN, NEW YORK LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA

Dear Friends,

Welcome to IHI’s Fifth Annual Giving Thanks - Giving Back Virtual Fundraiser

This year as you sit with family and friends to enjoy the holiday’s meals, I ask you to join us in imagining a world where everyone has enough to eat, has healthcare, can read, think logically and provide for themselves and their families. A world where teachers are valued, children are adored and fresh nutritious food is abundant.

I believe there are worlds of possibilities as we move and strive within the 21st Century. Possibilities where we can collectively work to ensure that everyone gets to experience that some-times elusive “pursuit of happiness.”

Enjoy the Season, but let’s consider the possibilities. Imani House has been on the frontlines of youth and family support, health care and education for over 23 years in Brooklyn, and Liberia W. Africa.

We invite you to Give Thankfully from what you have and share with us the responsibility of

working toward a positive future for all. This is a season to reflect optimistically, a season to see a future that will be fair to all of us. Remember your donation is 100% tax deductible.

Bisi Iderabdullah, Executive Director…. Everyone at IMANI HOUSE Thanks You for Your Support!!

Happy Holidays—Thanks for Your Donation

Boro. President Marty Markowitz, IHI Board Chair

Oma Holloway, The IHI ED and Youth at the

First Annual Imani House Walk to Live—2013

“[I] feel very happy about Imani House to at least put me among educated people. I can perfectly now write my own name

and help my daughter with homework. Before, my daughter’s teacher use to write my name ... but one day, surprisingly to him, I wrote my name without asking him as before and he was shocked. He asked and I told him everything about Imani House. He followed me one night to class and registered his

wife.“

Mrs. Jebboe is a student in the IHI Liberia Adult Literacy pro-gram at St. Mary’s in Duala Market. She also joined the IHI Sewing Classes and plans to sell clothing that she can now make herself. Mrs. Jebboe has done exceptionally well.

Your donation matters to this important Program

Mrs. Viola W. Jebboe - Adult Literacy - A Profile of Success

In 2012 Imani House received support from the U.S.

based non-profit Friends of Liberia (FOL). This grant allowed us to create tailoring classes for 35 women who

attend IHI’s Adult Education Program. This is a new start for our vocational training. During the 2003 war,

looters carried away most of our equipment, but the

women in the program were instrumental in helping secure the funding and organize the classes. Friends…

is an organization made up of former Peace Corp mem-bers who have been assisting Liberia since their found-

ing in 1986.

Needle Thread & Sewing Machines

Income Generating Vocational Skills

IHI Funding with AJWS ended In July of 2013. It was a sad

departure after 8 years of their

dedicated support to enhancing

IHI’s women’s programming

and infrastructure. While they

will be missed, the IHI Clinic,

Adult Literacy, HIV/STD

educational programs will

continue. As we move to the

future, we need your support

more than ever. We have

doubled our efforts to continue

these important programs.

YOUR SUPPORT

DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

The work of Imani House Liberia

would not happen without our

Staff, Volunteers, Supporters and

Steering Committee’s sacrifices.

We would like to first thank our

dedicated staff many who joined

us during the war & Ross Miran-

ti, a NY’er who volunteered in

Liberia for 6 months. Ross filmed

and edited a promotional video

highlighting the important work of

IHI Liberia. In addition,

Mahmoud Ideraabdullah, co-founder of IHI, has spent the last 6

months working diligently to seek funding, build supporter relation-

ships, and assist local staff. A very special thanks goes to the IHI

Steering Committee who are instrumental in providing guidance in

the advancement and continuation of this work.

Moving Forward—Lost and Found

Thanks Shining Stars - Staff, Volunteers, & Interns

Did You Know? Liberia was food sustainable and one of Africa’s

most stable independent nations prior to 1979

The first President, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, was

an African American

Oprah Winfrey ‘s DNA test traced her roots back

to the Kpelle people of Liberia

Poverty is rated at 80% in Liberia. With most

living on less than a dollar a day

Life expectancy in Liberia is 56 years of age

Africa including Liberia is Earth’s Wealthiest Continent

Women from the Central Gospel Mission Church give donated

supplies for the IHI Clinic to Mrs. Coleman, RN, to express their

gratitude for health services provided to the community since 1990

AP

PR

ECIA

TION

17,000 Liberians Treated Every Year

The IHI Clinic - Improves Lives

Thanks to IHI’s hard working Liberian Staff, manage-ment, volunteers and the generosity of donors like YOU, we’ve expanded

our Maternal and Child Health Care & other pro-

grams.

Says Mrs. Rebecca Flor-a Literacy Student

and Mother of Six. She could not read or write

when she joined The IHI Adult Literacy Program.

Over 66% of Liberia’s Women Cannot Read!

Adults

Learn to

Read

Creating

Pride

Dignity

&

Future

GR

ATI

TUD

E!

Families Save Their Own Lives at Imani House’s 1st Annual Walk-to-Live

More than 300 supporters rallied in Brook-lyn’s Prospect Park Sunday June 23rd for the Imani House Walk-to-Live. Overweight and obesity among children has tripled in the last three decades. While illnesses such heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes affect communities of color at a dispropor-tionate rate to the general population. IHI feels it is imperative to create more efforts to involve Brooklyn children, families and neighborhoods more actively in improving their own health.

The Walk received a written endorsement from Mayor Michael Bloomberg and, a Proclamation from Brook-lyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Volunteer nurses from Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center were on hand to take blood pressure and local station NY1 was on hand to cover the inaugural event and speak to participants. Support from Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corp., V-Spot, Wat-aah, Bay Harbor Fitness, Boing Boing and many more helps to make Walk to Live possible. The 2nd

Annual Imani House Walk-to-Live will be held on Sunday, June 22nd 2014. Contact us for information.

Starting Line Warm-Up

Xavier, a former IHI GED student now

gives back as a tutor at Adult Literacy Prog.

This year Imani House’s Sum-

mer Camp was held at Brook-

lyn’s P.S. 9. We give a very

special thanks to the Principal,

Ms. Sandra D’ Avila who

welcomed us when many

public school spaces were

either closed or full. The sum-

mer turned out great. The

Camp catered to over 120

children, providing bus out-

ings, City trips, art & crafts

and recreation including dance

karate, archery and more!

IHI Campers Have Fun in the Sun

Imani House - Extraordinary Youth Development

Brighter Tomorrows

IHI provides year-round youth services in Brooklyn to over 145 inner-city children during the school year, and 120 chil-dren in Camp Imani – a seven week, full day Summer Camp.

Enriching Childhood Activities at IHI

Steel Pan

Band’s Back

After 2 Yrs.

Thanks to

Donors!!

Playing

Chess

Improves

Math &

Problem

Solving

Skills

Partners Who Make a Difference – Thanks IHI programs received support from City funder DYCD for the afterschool and Camp. The NY State Council for the Arts (NYSCA) supports the Afterschool Performance Arts and the WOC Writers workshops and publications. State Farm contributed to our high school readiness program, while Con Ed. funded a portion of our STEM program. In addition, AJWS supported Liberia’s programs

and M&T Bank along with Astoria Bank supported NY programs And Individual donations were especially important.

IHI Students Discover STEM

The Imani House Science, Tech-

nology, Engineering, and Math

(STEM) program thanks Con Edison

for their support. This project

introduces children to a variety of

investigative sciences, & hands on

experiments in conservation, the

environment and alternative sources

of energy. The objective is to

encourage children to consider

careers in the fields of science. Dr.

Ideraabdullah, a visiting scientist

from the Univ. of NC taught children

how to extract DNA from green

peas.

Fencing

Develops

Reasoning,

Logic, Plan-

ning Skills and

Discipline

Martial Arts

Promotes Self

Confidence and

Respect

Dance Builds Physical

Fitness and Integrates a

Variety of Brain Functions

Dr. Ideraabdullah, Ph.D, Answers

Student’s DNA Questions

Archery Builds

Focus, Patience

and Visual Acuity

Fighting Sandy

IHI partnered with Books to

Kids to distribute over

850 books to youth

affected by Hurricane

Sandy in Long Beach and

parts of Brooklyn.

WOC Writers was created in 1999 to provide an avenue for women of color

who wish to enter the literary world. It recently joined Imani House as a project

that supports underserved women in the areas of writing, publishing, and liter-

ary events. Over 1,000 women have taken the workshop. The group is in the

process of publishing an anthology; Boundaries & Borders which includes the

work of women across the U.S. and 23 countries across the globe.

Women of Color Writers’ Workshop and Community

An Adult Literacy Success Story

IMANI HOUSE, Inc.

76-A Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Telephone : (718) 638-2059 | (718) 638-2165 | Fax: (718) 789-1094

Website: www.imanihouse.org

IMANI HOUSE is a 501(C)(3) Tax Exempt Community Development Organization

Department of Youth & Com-

munity Development

New York State Council on the

Arts

Con Edison

State Farm

Astoria Bank

Global Giving

Baycrest Partners

Plenty International

BNY Mellon

Morgan Stanley

Youth, INC.

DBNA Barclays Center

Mr. & Mrs. Ideraabdullah

Proliteracy International

American Jewish World

Service Books to Kids

Individual Donors

The Imani House Mission & Vision

Our mission: “To assist marginalized youth, families and immi-

grants to create sustainable neighborhoods, where residents are

decision makers who take responsibility for the improvement of

their lives and surroundings.”

IMANI HOUSE believes that anyone can succeed if they are motivat-

ed and have access to appropriate skills, information and opportuni-

ties. For over 28 years IHI has been providing health, education and

support services to the grassroots communities of Brooklyn, NY and

Liberia, W. Africa

Each year, Imani House...

Serves over 5,000 individuals in the NYC Area

Serves over 17,000 women and children in Liberia

IMANI HOUSE PROGRAMS BROOKLYN N.Y.

PS/MS 282 Afterschool—Performing Arts, Athletics and Enrichment Programming

Full Time Summer Day Camp

Adult Education Program—Literacy, GED, ESOL

Employment Assistance & Information & Referrals

Women of Color Writers’ Workshops and Community

LIBERIA W. AFRICA

Maternal & Child Health Care Clinic

Market Women’s Education Initiative for Adult Literacy

Vocational Skills Training / Teen Peer Health Education Prog.

TO MAKE A DONATION ONLINE visit

www.ImaniHouse.org

Or make Check to Imani House, Inc.

Remember, No Contribution is too Small!

All donations are acknowledged in writing and are 100% tax deductible

Executive Director Bisi Ideraabdullah

Executive Board of Directors Oma Holloway, Chair | Jacqueline Volant, Sec./ Treasurer

Mary Zigbou, Member | Koren Small, Member

Nicole Madison, Member

Advisory Board

Matthew Thumas | Eu Wen Khoo | Gail Mason Steven

Flax | Faith Barclay

Liberian Steering Committee

Arthur Tucker | Patricia Ananaba | Gloria Hage Shadrene

Howard | Mahmoud Ideraabdullah | Badiatu Dukuly

Brooklyn, NY

Liberia, West Africa

Search for Imani House, Inc. on

THANKS TO OUR FUNDERS & FRIENDS!

Newsletter Design & Layout Sekou Ideraabdullah Wendolyn

Ebbert | Tina Khiani

Contributing Editors Sekou Ideraabdullah | Tina Khiani

Bisi Ideraabdullah | Nicole Madison | Wendolyn Ebbert