PAS Detroit Chapter

Detroit, Michigan is the birthplace of the Palestine Aid Society of America (PAS). The organization was founded in 1978 in response to the tragic massacre at the Tel al-Zaatar Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon in 1976. Volunteers in several U.S. cities mobilized to raise funds to assist survivors—primarily women and children—helping them relocate and rebuild their lives.Detroit, Michigan is the birthplace of the Palestine Aid Society of America (PAS). The organization was founded in 1978 in response to the tragic massacre at the Tel al-Zaatar Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon in 1976. Volunteers in several U.S. cities mobilized to raise funds to assist survivors—primarily women and children—helping them relocate and rebuild their lives.

Within a few years, PAS established seven committees across the United States. These committees convened in Detroit, Michigan, where the organization held its first national convention and elected its first National Executive Committee. PAS subsequently opened its first office in Detroit in response to Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon and the Sabra and Shatila massacre, during which more than 3,000 Palestinians were killed.

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In 2011, a dedicated group of activists in Detroit reestablished the PAS Detroit Chapter, reviving its humanitarian mission and fundraising activities. The chapter began with an annual Book Bag Project, providing backpacks and school supplies to students in Gaza and the West Bank. In 2014, PAS Detroit held its first gala dinner in 16 years to commemorate Land Day, drawing more than 400 attendees. Speakers included the late Congressman John Conyers, State Representative Rashida Tlaib, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, and Professor John Stockton of the University of Michigan. All proceeds were directed to the Al-Najdeh Social Association in Gaza to renovate and open three kindergarten schools. In 2019, PAS Detroit hosted another Land Day fundraising dinner attended by more than 600 guests, featuring Bishop Atalla Hanna and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. Proceeds once again supported Al-Najdeh Social Associations in both Gaza and Lebanon for early childhood education projects.

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The signing of the Oslo “Peace” Accords in 1993 and 1995 significantly altered the political landscape and negatively impacted Palestinian organizations, including PAS. The U.S. government encouraged—and in some cases pressured—local organizations and European allies to channel all aid through the newly established Palestinian Authority. This shift, combined with widespread Palestinian disillusionment with the Oslo process, weakened Palestinian American activism and institutions. Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Arab and Muslim American communities faced heightened hostility, surveillance, and restrictions. This environment severely constrained community organizing and fundraising efforts. Like many organizations, PAS experienced a prolonged decline in support during this period.

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16+Years of activity history
9128New Charities Rated
131KAnnual Visitors
49MSuccessfully Donated

Ongoing Programs and Initiatives PAS Detroit continues to support a wide range of humanitarian and development projects, including: 

  • Book Bag Projects for students in Gaza and the West Bank
  • “Plant a Tree in Palestine” campaigns (2021–2023), resulting in the planting of more than 2,000 trees in areas threatened by settlement expansion in the northern West Bank and the Jordan Valley
  • Agricultural projects (2022–2023), including grapevine and strawberry farms, to support unemployed college graduates in the Tulkarm area
  • Eid Clothing Project (launched in 2021) to provide new clothing to underprivileged children in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon

Emergency Response Since October 2023

Emergency Response Since October 2023 Following Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza beginning in October 2023, the PAS Detroit Chapter significantly expanded its emergency response efforts. In partnership with trusted grassroots organizations such as Al-Najdeh Social Association and the Union of Health Care Committees (UHCC) in Gaza, PAS Detroit has:

  • Provided food parcels, clean drinking water, fresh fruits and vegetables, and hygiene kits for women and girls
  • Provided cash assistance to displaced people to be able to relocate, buy food and other necessities.
  • Supported the establishment of two tent schools, enabling children to continue their education while schools were closed or repurposed as shelters
  • Supplied blankets, mattresses, and food to families displaced from Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nor Shams refugee camps in Northern West Bank.
  • Installed water tanks in the northern West Bank refugee camps, replacing the ones destroyed by the Israeli forces.
  • Delivered blankets and food assistance to refugees displaced from southern Lebanon during Israeli attacks, along with other emergency relief.

Looking Ahead

PAS Detroit is committed to sustaining and expanding its work to meet the ongoing humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. We invite you to join us by volunteering with the PAS Detroit Chapter, supporting our programs, or helping establish a new PAS chapter in your community. Together, we can continue to provide vital assistance where it is needed most.