Helping Hands. Caring Hearts.

Right now, at White Hearts Center in Idlib, Syria, children with Down syndrome are walking, learning how to feed themselves, laughing, and playing with others again. White Hearts Center provides these children with educational and psychological support, as well as physiotherapy sessions to continuously improve balance, mobility and motor function. Click here to learn more about the history of White Hearts Center, and how you can become a part of this incredible life-affirming story!

Letter of Introduction.

by Jim Seidl

Watching CNN Newsroom late-night in 2021, I was deeply moved by CNN Senior International Correspondent, Peabody and Emmy Award winner, Arwa Damon’s compelling story of Abdullah Mohammed and the beautiful children of Idlib Center. 

The next day I emailed Arwa and thanked her for informing the world of these vulnerable children in need of a helping hand. Guided by Mother Teresa’s wisdom, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love”, the following vision emerged from our initial “how can I help” discussion:

Objective. A joint collaboration to raise money for Idlib Center operations (renamed White Hearts Center in 2023), via our Mobilecause fundraising campaign: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/Help4Kids.

Friends of Idlib Center Steering Committee. Our initial all-volunteer advisory team included:

• Arwa Damon – To assist with social media outreach and journalism coverage.
• Mazen Haddad – To assist with technological, Syrian culture/community/communication networking.

• David Lillie, Susan Jaradat, Randa Loutfi, and Abbie Taylor – To assist with strategic business planning and resource allocation, as our bridge with SAMS Foundation.

• Abdullah Mohammed – As founder and CEO of the Idlib Center, to assist with onsite service delivery and ongoing communication with SAMS and our Friends of Idlib Center team. Prior to founding the Idlib Center, Abdullah was a highly respected Nurse Practitioner, First Aid Lecturer, Instructor and Trainer in hospitals and universities in Saudi Arabia and Syria. He holds a master’s degree in Pediatric Nursing from Tishreen University in Syria.

• Jim Seidl – To coordinate primary fundraising planning and outreach, as Steering Committee Chair.

• Kate Wolf – To assist with the development, promotion, and management of the fundraising site.

• Margaret Wolf and Asma Taha –  To coordinate virtual Occupational Therapy (OT), Speech Therapy (ST), and Physical Therapy (PT) training from OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital,  Child Development and Rehabilitation Center, Down Syndrome Clinic, in Portland, Oregon.

Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) – 501c3 Platform Partner. 

To ensure the money that we raise is properly distributed in accordance with local Syrian regulations and international laws, in 2021 we selected SAMS Foundation as our Friends of Idlib Center strategic business partner, after receiving multiple recommendations from trusted legal and business advisors and following careful objective screening and thorough due diligence assessment.

SAMS’ medical team conducted onsite visits at Idlib Center, in advance of SAMS’ executive team entering into an Independent Partner agreement with Idlib Center to initially manage the Center, as they similarly and masterfully oversee other medical facilities in Syria. 

For additional background on SAMS, please click the following:

• Charity Navigator.

• SAMS’ GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency.

• SAMS’ Great Nonprofits’ Overview.

Oregon Health & Science University: OT, ST, and PT Training and Education. 

From 2022-24, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Child Development and Rehabilitation Center, Down Syndrome Clinic, in Portland, Oregon, has successfully designed and delivered a series of virtual Down syndrome webinars, presented by a world-class team of volunteer Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy training specialists – in addition to on-going mentorship, on behalf of White Hearts Center staff and children. Lectures presented include:

• Pediatrics – Joseph Pinter.
• Speech Therapy – Amy Costanza-Smith.
• Physical Therapy – Kerry Haugh.
• Feeding – Erin Cochran.
• Occupational Therapy – Katherine Breithaupt.

SHARE Foundation: Operational Management.  In October of 2021, White Hearts Center signed a memorandum of understanding with Istanbul-based SHARE Foundation for Relief and Development, to source potential funding opportunities for WHC to achieve sustainability, expansion, and program enhancement. Bridge funding was obtained for WHC, from the International Islamic Charity Organization in Kuwait, from September 2021 to September 2022, which led to improvements in the physical environment of White Hearts Center, including new operational facilities, and much needed office and therapy equipment, for WHC’s children.

WHC Fundraising Goal – 2024. We are applying our best volunteer efforts to raise an additional $100,000 on behalf of the children of White Hearts Center, by early 2025.

Call to Action. We currently have funding in place, thanks to the generosity of SAMS, SHARE, and Friends of White Hearts Center donors, through 2024. 

To keep White Hearts Center doors open in 2025-26, we need your help, please. 

Any support you can provide in helping us secure ongoing funding for the beautiful children of White Hearts Center by year-end is urgently needed and will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your kindness and care.

Yes, these beautiful children have captured my heart and soul. Hopefully their glowing smiles and joyful hearts will have a similar impact on you.