UNICEF USA’s Midwest regional office honored four Chicagoans for their local and international efforts Nov. 3 at its seventh Humanitarian Awards Luncheon, attended by 460 guests inside the Fairmont Chicago hotel. 

Presentations focused on the current migrant and refugee crises, encouraging ways to support UNICEF’s lifesaving programs and to be part of the global effort to protect children in peril the world over. 

UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to improve children’s lives, end violence and protect human rights. Awards garnered more than $98,000 for UNICEF’s lifesaving programs that put children first. 

Honorees included: Maria Woltjen, founder/director of Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights; Suzanne Akhras Sahloul, founder/director of Syrian Community Network; Dr. Zaher Sahloul, founder of American Relief Coalition for Syria and past president and senior advisor of the Syrian American Medical Society; and Steve Lehmann, founde of Threadies, assistant director of the University of Chicago Innovation Fund and UNICEF’S Next Generation Humanitarian Award recipient.