History
From a one person office,
to serving over tens of thousands.
Mission
To ensure humanity lives in every community by providing core human needs to all people.
Vision
Redistribute the world’s resources so it inspires and nurtures every heart, mind and spirit.
Community Promise
At ACC, all are welcome, no one is illegal, and all human life is valued the same. Our promise to the community is to remain grounded in compassion with everything we do. To be an unwavering, dependable source of hope so families may think beyond survival. We promise to prioritize the dignity of all clients and to provide core human needs in ways which enable families to receive them. We promise to remain committed to excellence and continually improve our services as community needs evolve. Our staff are committed to the highest standards of care and are rooted in the highest standards of ethical behavior. We promise to solve for the cause of human challenges, not just the symptoms, to achieve lasting systems change. At ACC, we promise to democratize accessibility to worlds class care & share more humanity in the world.
Over the past five decades of providing health and human services to the vulnerable and underserved communities in the State of Michigan, ACC has evolved from an organization that focused on serving a specific population to one that serves all people of all ages and backgrounds. The profile of the person needing our services has stretched beyond one culture or background. ACC’s services provide a holistic approach to care by providing health, education, employment, youth and community development programs.
ACC is strong in its dedication of “Making a Difference” in the lives of those we serve and is proud to serve the diverse multi-ethnic communities of Southeastern Michigan.
A vision for revitalization
MEET THE FOUNDER, PRESIDENT & CEO – DR. HAIFA FAKHOURI
A graduate from Wayne State University, Fakhouri came to the United States from her homeland of Jordan in 1968 to pursue her academic goals. After graduating, she served as the International Advisor to the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Population (UNDP) as an international consultant on women and population policies in the Middle East Region.
Her strong leadership and keen vision towards community economic self-sufficiency and the actualization of human potential for newly arrived immigrants became her passion. Her experience as a sociologist, educator, and administrator enabled her to lead a number of supporters to establish ACC, a much-needed human service agency to meet the growing needs of the Arab community. Over the past 35 years, ACC grew from a single office to 40 Outreach Offices with a multi million dollar operating budget in the tri-county area in the State of Michigan.
Through her development and implementation of employment and training programs as well as a 36 million dollar development project to revitalize a dilapidated area into a thriving and vibrant neighborhood, ACC embarked upon the creation of a unique Middle Eastern Arabic Village within the city of Detroit. The project is a representation of the rich heritage of Arab Culture.
Through the Years
ACC MILESTONES
1979
ACC opens a one person office inside the International Institute in Detroit to serve the
middle eastern refugee and immigrant population, quickly serving 421 clients. Governor William Milliken endorses ACC.
1989
ACC opens an additional 12 outreach centers throughout Metro Detroit to serve 5,000+
clients. Programs expand to encompass counseling, healthcare, employment training and job
placement, translation, interpretation, immigration and youth services.
1992
ACC receives accolades from as the first Arab Organization to receive national
recognition by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation.
1992
ACC client size doubles from 19,000 to 38,000 as refugees and asylum seekers of the
Gulf War crisis flee and settle in Michigan. Governor John Engler endorses ACC.
1995
ACC launches the 7 Mile Project, committing to the revitalization of the neighborhood
and community. The project includes a vision for ACC’s services to be delivered from this central
area as well as provide public facilities and a community health clinic. The 7 Mile Project
becomes part of the City’s Community & Neighborhood Development initiative.
2008
The Seven Mile Streetscape and the Artisana and Adult Learning Center are completed.
The campus boasts four ACC outreach centers as a one stop shop for community services;
ranging from WIC services to behavioral health, primary care, dental care, youth facilities and
fresh food program, serving as a stimulus for the entire neighborhood. Governor Jennifer Granholm endorses ACC.
2012
The State of Michigan awards ACC a grant to serve as the sole provider for all new
arrival health assessment services to all incoming refugees to Wayne, Oakland and Macomb
counties. ACC adds two additional WIC program sites for a total of six locations across Wayne
County. Governor Rick Snyder endorses ACC.
2023
ACC serves over 90,000 clients and renders over 450,000 services on an annual basis. Governor Gretchen Whitmer endorses ACC.