A Night of Solidarity at Anera’s Annual Dinner

Anera held its Annual Dinner fundraising event on Friday, October 3, 2025. More than 430 people filled the room in downtown Washington, DC, united in their concern for Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, most especially Gaza.

Omar Offendum opened the event by quoting Khalil Gibran and Mahmoud Darwish, reminding the audience of the pain of exile and the moral call to think of others — those without food, shelter or peace. He touched on the feelings of guilt that he and probably most people in the room have now, as we witness the horrors unfolding in Gaza, saying, “Evenings like these are an opportunity for us to come together and offset the feelings of guilt, by honoring those we are here to serve.”

With those words, he launched the rest of the program that has the theme “From the Shell, a Thousand Seeds,” which recognizes the enduring power of life in the face of the harshest realities. Each seed carries a story, a dream, a future. Grounded in Anera’s values of compassion, renewal and collective purpose, the people in the room gathered in the name of that theme to pay tribute to what has been lost and to renew our commitment to what we can still grow, together.

In his remarks, Anera President and CEO Sean Carroll reflected on the unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in Gaza since October 7, 2023 – and the extraordinary courage of Anera’s teams who continue their work under fire, through displacement, tragedy and loss. He reminded guests that Anera’s mission has never been limited to crisis response. For nearly six decades, the organization has invested in community development, education, healthcare, water, and agriculture across the region, always keeping sight of the long view: that true recovery means restoring dignity, rebuilding capacity, and strengthening institutions.

Carroll shared moving words from Gaza staff. Yazdan described his homeland as unrecognizable, where the hunger he witnesses is “for identity and dignity,” and where rebuilding must mean more than concrete. It must mean repairing the collective spirit. Areej spoke of her family’s repeated displacements and her mother’s illness, yet she continues working “because every effort, no matter how small, brings hope.” Their perseverance, Sean said, embodies Anera’s mission and demands that we rise to meet the moment.

He noted that while a proposed peace plan offers the possibility of ending the war and beginning recovery, it will only succeed through political will, security, and sustained investment. Whatever the outcome, Anera stands ready — backed by decades of trust, local expertise, and operational strength. Sean closed with a call to action: for donors to lean in, partners to join in coalition, and all supporters to help build the bridge from relief to reconstruction. “Let this evening,” he urged, “be our recommitment, not just to survive this crisis, but to lead the journey from despair to dignity, and from destruction to hope.”

Following Sean Carroll’s remarks, Anera’s country directors – Sandra Rasheed for Palestine and Samar El Yassir for Lebanon and Jordan – brought the evening closer to the front lines of Anera’s work. They spoke about the daily realities their teams face and the hope that continues to grow amid devastation.

Samar described how families and even Anera staff in southern Lebanon have been displaced by violence, yet continue finding creative ways to support their communities, from transforming classrooms into workshops to training youth who now rebuild homes and restore livelihoods. Sandra shared the dire conditions in Gaza, where nearly everyone has been forced into the south and aid remains largely blocked. Despite the dangers and scarcity, Anera’s Gaza teams keep maneuvering trucks of water through bombed-out roads and sourcing food from the few farms still standing. In the West Bank, she added, new checkpoints and rising settler violence make every delivery a challenge, but aid and education programs persist, albeit a little more slowly sometimes.

Reflecting on the evening’s theme, “From the Shell, a Thousand Seeds,” the two directors spoke about how small acts of service – a training, a clinic visit a classroom – can multiply into lasting impact. Samar highlighted youth programs, rooftop gardens, and creative education initiatives that plant “seeds of growth and opportunity” across Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. Sandra pointed to Gaza’s makeshift clinics and learning spaces as “shells” that protect and nurture life, even amid ruin. Together, they underscored the message that from the harshest conditions, resilience and renewal continue to take root.

Next on the program was a screening of a powerful film from Gaza. Anera Pharmacist Ahmad Najjar takes us on a tour through one of the health clinics he and Anera’s other staff have so lovingly built. Check it out!

What followed the film was the fundraising portion of the event: a paddleraising that allowed the audience to actively participate in funding Anera’s impactful work across Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. The event brought in more than $1.1 million in donations from donors from a range of giving capacity, ethnicities, ages and tenures as Anera supporters. It was a powerful testament to the collective belief that, even in these terrible times, generosity and solidarity can help rekindle hope and rebuild lives.

As the grand finale of the evening, Anera welcomed Lina Makoul, an extraordinary Palestinian singer who traveled all the way from Acre to perform. A captivating entertainer, Lina brought the room to life with her powerful voice and presence, leaving guests inspired and uplifted. Her performance was not just a musical highlight. It was a celebration of strength, culture and the enduring spirit of the communities Anera serves.