WOODBRIDGE — A charity dinner in Woodbridge helped to raise $35,000 for a charity that has been working to help those affected by civil war in Syria and a major earthquake in Haiti.
The Masroor Mosque Chapter of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA in Woodbridge co-sponsored a Fundraising Dinner to support Humanity First USA.
President of the Masroor Mosque chapter Kareem U. Kaleem welcomed everyone and expressed his special thanks to the distinguished guests for their support, to speakers for sharing their treasured experience, and to the generous donors.
“Your support helps us fulfill the Humanity First’s mission to relieve suffering,” he said.
Guest speakers at the evening included Dr. Daniel Rhee who is a pediatric surgeon and an assistant professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Director of the pediatric surgical oncology program at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Dr. Rhee has been a member of the Humanity First team to Ghana and Liberia since 2010. He is the Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery course that is offered in partnership with the Medical and Surgical Skills Institute in Accra, Ghana as well as the Director of the Inguinal Hernia Repair course in Liberia.
Next speaker was Dr. Kaleem Malik, who is a Board-Certified Trauma and Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Malik has served on numerous medical humanitarian missions and has served Humanity First since its inception. He is currently the US Course Director and Faculty for the Medical & Disaster Response Training courses conducted by Humanity First.
Another guest speaker was Luis de la Fuente. He is the regional adviser to the Secretariat of the U.N. World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization. Fuente has been strategic in helping Humanity First to deploy their emergency medical teams and help with certifications.
This First “Dine for Humanity” dinner by Masroor Mosque was held at Old Hickory Golf Club in Lake Ridge on April 24 and was attended by over 130 guests including Virginia Senator Jeremy McPike (D-29, Prince William County), Delegate Hala Ayala (D-51, Prince William County), Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D-31, Fauquier, Prince William counties), Prine William County Occoquan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson, Manassas Park Vice Mayor Preston Banks, Dumfries Vice Mayor Monae Nickerson, and Dumfries Councilwoman Cydny A. Neville.
Humanity First USA was first established in 1994 by the fourth Worldwide Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Mirza Tahir Ahmad and U.S. chapter were established in 2004 – its mission is to relieve the suffering caused by natural disasters and war, to promote peace.
Globally, Humanity First is a registered non-profit organization in over 50 countries. Its volunteer-based organization brings together people from all walks of life, faiths, national and ethnic origins, and cultures on a single platform.
