The Arab American and Chaldean Council on Wednesday donated a van to a local group that serves Iraqi refugees in the area.

ACC President Haifa Fakhouri hands off to Chaldean American Ladies of Charity President Sally Najor the keys to a van donated by ACC for use in helping local Iraqi refugees,

Chaldean American Ladies of Charity will use the van to offer transportation to concentrations of recent refugees in need who have settled primarily in Sterling Heights, Warren and Troy, according to the group’s president Sally Najor.
“They heard that we were in need of a van to take our refugees from one place to another,” Najor said. “It was very kind of them to respond right away. It was a great feeling to have transportation for our refugees.”

Najor said the group has seen an influx of about 2,000 Iraqi refugees in the area since 2007, and expects another 1,500 to 3,000 through the end of the year.

She said the group and individual Iraqi families remain in urgent need of vehicles for transportation to jobs.

For more information on donating or on the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity call 248.538.8300 or visit www.calconline.org.