Join Your Council in Serving Your Community!

The Council has many goals and objectives that are dependent on the work of our dedicated volunteers and committee members. We are currently seeking applications from qualified, enthusiastic volunteers interested in building and enhancing our community. Join the Council in our efforts by making a commitment to assist in an area that interests you. Become a part of the Council by joining one of the following committees:

The Media & Public Relations Committee functions as an active, professional link between the Council and the media proactively managing favorable publicity and media coverage for key the Council’s activities and significant events and concerns of Muslims in the Chicago area. Some of the duties of the Media & Public Relations includes preparation of press releases for upcoming Council events and in response to issues in the news; answering media inquiries for statements, interviews and information on Islam, generating stories that can be placed in media outlets; educating members of the media about Islam and the views of the Chicago Muslim community; and developing lines of communication between media outlets and the Muslim community. Volunteers should have a background in journalism, strong verbal communication skills, & a professional Islamic appearance.

The Newsletter Committee provides coverage of events and stories in a bi-monthly newsletter along with design layouts and distribution throughout the Muslim community. Volunteers should have an interest or a major in print journalism, creative thinking and excellent writing skills.

The Council's website is a key source of information for the Muslim community and the Chicago area as to what has been taking place in the Muslim community. The Council is looking to make the website more independently proactive. To do this, we are recruiting additional members who can provide frequents updates, coverage and pictures of events. The calendar and website are updated weekly with current and new information. The Council is looking to find ways to drive more traffic to the site and add additional informational resources for visitors unfamiliar with Islam.

Owing to our successful citizenship campaign, the Council team has assisted over 300 individuals through the citizenship process. We aid eligible green card holders through the application, direct them to English and citizenship classes, and refer them to those who can provide them limited legal advice. Citizenship volunteers will be trained to fill naturalization applications, assist in database maintenance, organize community presentations, publicize services, and assist with follow up calls. Volunteers should be outgoing, energetic, friendly individuals who are mobile. Those bilingual in Spanish, Urdu or Arabic are preferred.

The Council’s has helped over 4,000 individuals and families in the Chicagoland area gain access to health care through this program. Volunteers will work with the Health Care Coordinator, assisting with presentations, filing of applications and follow up calls. Those individuals interested in community health and public policy are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Interfaith Committee promotes understanding of Islam and Muslims, and awareness of and participation in special interfaith programs. The interfaith committee engages in separate dialogues with various faiths. Volunteers should have an interest in Daw’ah, strong verbal communication skills, and a warm personality.

More than 50 cab drivers have been murdered in the city of Chicago in the last ten years. Many more are physically abused everyday. The Council has partnered up with civil rights and human rights organizations to assist cab drivers. The Council is looking for individuals to collecting surveys, assist in creating and maintaining a database of cab drivers, collecting information on the issues cab drivers face, and organizing events related to this campaign. Volunteers should be outgoing, energetic individuals who are mobile. Those bilingual and understanding of the cab community are preferred.

On March 17, 2005, Hassiba Belbachir, a 27 year old Algerian citizen, died under suspicious circumstances while in US federal custody at the McHenry County Adult Correctional Facility in Illinois. The Council is currently working with prison abuse advocacy groups and the immigrant and human rights community to develop strategies to ensure the protection of the rights of all prisoners, regardless of race, religion, gender or legal status, while they are in federal custody. The Council is looking for individuals to assist in organizing events related to the campaign and to research human rights abuses of women, minorities, immigrants and the general population of US and Illinois prisons and other related issues.

The objective of the Community Organizing is to facilitate participation in broad-based organizing projects in the Chicago Metropolitan area between multiple organizations for the common good. The Council is also always looking for volunteers to help out with various projects and events that the Council undertakes throughout the year.

For more information please contact Sr. Muneer Aliuddin (muneer@ciogc.org) at the Council office (630)629.7491. Or fill out our online volunteer application.