Inspired by conversations with seniors and their caregivers, The Family & Youth Institute has launched a community empowerment initiative.
Our Goal:
To enhance healthy aging in Canton, MI by connecting our community with essential services. We map local resources, identify gaps, and create accessible pathways to care—all driven by the community we serve.
An Aging Loved One: What to Expect and How to Prep video
Panelists Nadeem Siddiqi, Maryum Khwaja, LCSW, and Omar Haydar discuss the elder care journey, the caregiver and elder relationship, self-care and avoiding caregiver burnout.
Sandwich Generation: Caring for the Caregivers
Project Milestones
Summarize research
Recruit advisory group
Identify community resources
Create asset map
Enhance Advocacy
Improve Programming
Results That Matter: Our Elder Care Initiative Outcomes
A personalized guide to community resources
Empowering knowledge to advocate for yourself and your loved ones
A blueprint for healthy aging that can inspire other communities
Powerful partnerships that create connections to culturally-informed guidance
Project Team
Fizza Humayun
Project Manager
Shamiha Zaman
Marketing & Communication Officer
Danyal Khan
Executive Director
Project Advisors
Sameera Ahmed
Founder, The FYI
Kristine J. Ajrouch
Ph.D., Sociology University of Michigan
Najah Bazzy
CEO Zaman International
Nausheen Razvi
Community Engagement - MCWS
Amne M. Talab
ACCESS - Director Social Services (East)
Thank You to Our Partners!
Give Now to Strengthen Our Community
Help us provide the resources that Muslim elders deserve. Your contribution makes a big impact.
The Family & Youth Institute, or The FYI, is a well-known Muslim organization in the United States. It works to promote mental health and wellness by strengthening and empowering individuals, families, and communities through research and education. It has been working for many years to bring Islamic perspectives to understanding and promoting mental health in our communities.
It is dedicated to serving and supporting Muslims – safeguarding our deen, our families, and our future generations. Therefore, the work of The FYI comes in the category of ‘fi sabeelillah’ or the Path of Allah, within the eight categories where Zakat money can be used.
“Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed for it and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah, And Allah, is Knowing and Wise.” (Al-Tawbah 9:60)
According to scholars who widen the meaning of fee sabeelillah to include any activities that promote Islamic growth, The FYI is indeed eligible to receive part of the Zakat funds for its programs and services. I urge Muslims in America to support this organization through their donations, general charity, and through their Zakat. I ask Allah swt to strengthen and guide The FYI to continue its good work in supporting Muslims.
Shaikh Ali Suleiman Ali, PhD
About Shaikh Ali
Sh. Ali Suleiman Ali was born in Ghana where he spent his childhood studying with various Muslim scholars. He then moved to Saudi Arabia and enrolled in the Islamic University of Madina. He graduated with a degree in both Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dr. Ali went on to complete his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Sh. Ali serves on the Advisory Council of The Family & Youth Institute. He is the Senior Imam and Director of the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs in Canton, Michigan. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Muslim Family Services in Detroit and is a council member of the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA). He is also a member of the North American Imams Federation (NAIF) and the Association of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA).