Our Volunteers - "The Chain of Hope"
The Foundation expresses deep gratitude to the following people who without their help, the Foundation would not exist. Please note FCI has a host of volunteers who cannot be named or pictured here....but you know who you are and WE THANK YOU!!!!
Mr. Tim Bode and the rest of the staff of The Araz Group who generously provide web site and foundation support.
Here is a recent photo of Araz Group Volunteers along with our newest patients...Cheesta and Banoo!
Anna Stover, Marlene Earl, Amir Eftekhari, Tim Bode, Amy Waara, Nazie Eftekhari and Jeannie LaFavor...
Pictured here from left to right are Nazie Eftekhari, Afsaneh (a recent cancer patient), Tim Bode and Alex Joseph of the Araz Group.
Sooki Jalali is pictured at the far left. She is the wonderful person who opens her home to our patients during their stay in Minnesota...she cooks for them and takes care of many of their needs as she acts as their host while they are far from their own homes.
Ms. Jaleh Meshkati (pictured left) flies to Minnesota from her home in Colorado every time a new patient comes to town...she drops what's going on in her life to help save our children's lives.
She greets them upon their arrival to Minnesota and acts as their guardian angel taking them from appointment to appointment...and coordinating all of their medical care. She acts as their translator and explains what will be happening during their stay. She also coordinates with them before the get to Minnesota and after they leave for their follow-up care in Iran.
It is Jaleh's passion is to help others. She is an integral part of the Foundation; we do not know what we would do without her compassion and loving care for our patients.
Marlene Earll and Anna Stover are posing with a recent cardiac patient, Ali.
Our Angel in New York - Sam M. Mirian was born in 1939 in Tehran, Iran where he lived until 1964. He Graduated from Sharaf High School in 1957 and shortly after became employed with the National Iranian Oil Company until he moved to Long Island. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Polytechnic University Mechanical Engineering Program and is married Mrs. Fathieh Dorry Mirian. They have two children, a son Ali Cyrus who was born in 1971, and a daughter Yasmin-Maryam who was born in 1974.
Mr. Mirian gives his time and talents to The Foundation for the Children of Iran as our U.S. first point of contact for the families who are accepted into our program. He meets them at the airport after their long flight overseas and when there is time takes them on tours of New York City. He has also very generously shared his home with patients who have to spend the night in New York City on their long journies.
Todd Lurie, accountant (Lurie, Besikof, Lapidus and Co.). Todd handles all of the financial statements and accounting for the Foundation.
Becky Pohlad...one of our very generous donors and volunteers.
The Council of Benefactors and friends in Washington, D.C.:
Niloufar Afkhami, Farinaz Akhavan, Jaleh Amouzegar, Mina Bagherzadeh, Saghi Eftekhari, Juni Farmanfarmaiin, Fariba Jahanbani, Sherry Tajbaksh, Parinaz Bahadori, Sudi Deyhimi, Mandana Etessami, Roya Ferdows, Afsaneh Hashemzadeh, Roxana Hashemzadeh, Susie Jalinous, Assiyeh Farzaneh Lefebvre, Sheila Matini, Ladan Motamedi, Nazanine Ram, Shirin Zohdi
Dr. Said Mokhtarzadeh receives our highest accolades for the significant contribution he has made to The Foundation through the sale of his CDs.
The volunteers from the Iranian community in Minnesota:
Hossein Ajakh at Caspian Bistro, Anoush Ansari at the Atlas Grill, Masoud Motevaze and Javad Safavi, who provide patient transportation, the Alizadeh family - and especially Shiba Zahirazami without whose kind donation of time, translation and coordination, our patients would not be able to receive their health care services.
Jaff Baradaran for his assistance in the printing of materials for The Foundation.
Shahram and Nazanin Badiian, whose tireless fund raising efforts in California have greatly assisted The Foundation through Natalie's Fund.
Radio Sedaye Iran and Mr. Alireza Morovati whose contributions of air time have allowed us to get word out on the services of The Foundation to many needy children, as well as receive philanthropic support from Iranians all over the United States.
Mr. Abolala Soudavar for the beautiful images of Persian miniatures used for producing The Foundation's greeting cards.
Sattar, who has shared his gift, his voice, to help our children.
And to the hundreds of individuals whom we have, at their request, refrained from listing here. Their financial support to The Foundation allows its worthy mission to go forward.