Project Healthy Community names first executive director

Detroit, MI, January 4, 2017– The Board of Project Healthy Community (PHC) has appointed Amina Iqbal as its first executive director. Her duties include working with the board to develop and manage short and long range business plans and budgets; foster government and community relationships; supervision and evaluation of employees; assist in fund raising and grant writing; and institute appropriate metrics for programs to measure value to stakeholders.

Ms. Iqbal was previously Director of Operations for the Michigan Muslim Community Council (MMCC). She is experienced in fundraising, forging sponsorships, social media and website development, blogs and surveys. She has held several teaching positions instructing creative writing classes, and mentoring and planning projects for elementary students.

A board member of the Asian Pacific Islander American Vote, Ms. Iqbal is also a member of the Detroit Public Television Community Advisory Panel. She has a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science and Professional Child Development from the University of Wyoming, and a master’s in Education Policy Studies and Global Studies in Education from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.

“Project Healthy Community has grown substantially since its beginning in 2012,” said Dr. Melvyn Rubenfire, founder of PHC, a cardiologist from University of Michigan Hospital. “I’m happy to report that we are making a difference in Northwest Detroit and other communities in areas of education and nutrition for those most in-need. We are delighted to have been able to recruit Ms. Iqbal who adds much to our diversity. She has many contacts with business, media, government relations, and other non-profits with whom we can partner to improve the efficiencies of our missions.”

Project Healthy Community is an inter-community, multi-cultural, interfaith nonprofit partnership that was initially founded to benefit the Northwest Detroit area. It was initially housed in the Northwest Activities Center (NWAC) of Detroit (a former Jewish Community Center). The nonprofit was launched through a collaboration between Temple Israel’s Rabbi Josh Bennett and Dr. Rubenfire, a former chairman of medicine at Sinai Hospital of Detroit. Each felt Temple Israel and others in the Jewish community could help Detroit by partnering with the NWAC to develop programs that would improve food availability, nutrition, education and health.

Bennett and Rubenfire formed partnerships with already-existing charitable organizations in the neighborhood including the NWAC, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, and Gleaners. Among creative cost effective initiatives include an after school program and summer camp for K-5th grade children, mobile food pantry, and a winter warmth effort to provide clothing to children and families most in-need.