Mayor Daley and Ald. Moore Attend ZAM's Hope's 10th Annual Fashion Show

CHICAGO - September 13, 2010 - ZAM's Hope, a 10-year-old organization focused on helping immigrant women adjust to life in the U.S., is gearing up for its 10th anniversary at the 10th Annual Fashion Show and Fundraiser. Mayor Daley will be a featured guest, and Ald. Joe Moore will be one of the models for the fashion night on Thurs., Sept. 16, at 6:30 p.m., at 6401 N. Artesian Ave.

The event is free to the public, but Zehra Quadri, the founder of ZAM's Hope, is hoping to raise at least $2,000 in donations, 200 guests donating $100 each. The City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs has donated approximately $5,000 to her organization in previous years.

"We received funding I believe five, six years ago from the Cultural Department," said Quadri. "We received $5,000 and community members worked together to help that project."

The money received for ZAM's Hope has been by grant money. According to Quadri, the nonprofit organization is looking to expand to a second building. The current location has regular traffic, but Quadri wants more women to be able to get involved.

ZAM's Hope was started after Quadri got a divorce and learned how difficult it was for a single mother to receive financial assistance. ZAM's stands for Zehra and her two daughters, Aisha and Maryam.

The organization helps assist families in after-school programming for youth, youth tutoring and mentoring, housing assistance, emergency food, senior citizen support, computer classes, citizenship and immigration support, resume preparation support, employment referrals, crisis intervention and cultural preservation activities. ZAM's Hope also teaches youth about cultural dancing and clothing design.

"We teach kids, young girls and boys, how to dance (and) show them our culture," said Quadri. "Keep our culture alive by designing clothing with young kids and also with senior citizens. We are providing cultural department classes from the Department of Housing and Department of Cultural Affairs."

The fashion night will include "celebrity models," which will be politicians and other community leaders.

"Last year, Alderman Joe Moore walked as a V.I.P. model," said Quadri. "We have commissioners, assistant commissioners and directors showing their interest to show the community when we have our anniversary every year. It looks like Alderman Joe Moore will definitely walk as a V.I.P. (this year) because he's not missing our event since last five, six years. Michelle Bibbs from the Cultural Department is walking this year."

Final confirmation for other models, who may include Mayor Daley, will be confirmed 24 hours before the event.

In addition to expanding to a second building, the second goal is to help pay for education with trained educators. The teachers who are currently helping with the youth program are doing so on a voluntary basis.

Sources:
"ZAM's 10th Annual Fashion Show and Fundraiser presents Chicago community models and Mayor Daley"
ZAM's Hope website