Wednesday, January 29, 2025
A Local Gift with Global Influence
The City Club is pleased to announce a new leadership gift to the Guardians of Free Speech Campaign from Ansir and Sufia Junaid. The philanthropists and entrepreneurs have made a generous personal contribution through the Junaid Family Foundation (JFF) which will be recognized with the naming of the City Club Commons to be the Sufia & Junaid Family Commons.
“The Junaid family is so inspiring,” said City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop. “They understand the opportunity that is possible in this country and this community because they have lived it, and through their philanthropy they create even more opportunity for others.”
“We believe in dialogue. No matter your religious beliefs, your race, or your politics, we believe there is always space for dialogue,” said Sufia Junaid. “For more than a century, the City Club has been a forum for inspiring dialogue, for creative expression, for the exchange of ideas and for civil engagement. Junaid and I are honored to be a part of preserving that legacy.”
Ansir Junaid immigrated to the United States more than 30 years ago with a singular focus, to earn a strong education and create an impact. Mr. Junaid is Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Junaid Group, a privately held group of global companies serving a diverse array of industries and geographies that he has founded, acquired, or invested in over the past three decades. He serves on several boards, including University Hospitals of Cleveland, The RAND Corporation, Cuyahoga Community College Foundation, and Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. He received his education in Management Information Systems & Marketing from Cleveland State University.
His wife, Sufia Junaid, is a champion of economic, social, and healthcare development both locally in Cleveland and abroad. By supporting local organizations making Cleveland a more welcoming, international city through job, language, food, and benefits assistance, Sufia is proud to empower refugees moving into our communities. She is the recent recipient of the Albert B. & Audrey G. Ratner Community Leader Award from Global Cleveland. Sufia is also a champion for improving mothers' health as the cornerstone for supporting strong, thriving families. In Pakistan, JFF is supporting the largest Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) program in the world, providing prenatal vitamins to pregnant women to help improve maternal and childbirth outcomes. Sufia has also been a fervent proponent and proud sponsor of the annual International Women Leaders Summit in Pakistan, where thousands of women have convened to promote gender inclusion, celebrate women's leadership and empower female professionals.
In 2021, the Junaids established the Junaid Family Foundation which seeks to create lasting change in four program areas: Healthcare and Development; Education and Society; Equity and Diversity; and Civic Engagement. Giving across all four program areas is focused on changing communities for the better with the aim of forever. JFF funds programs that have a clear need and implement evidence-based solutions that drive sustainable impact.
The Junaid family paired their gift to the Guardians of Free Speech with an operating grant from the foundation to provide support for forums focused on the foundation’s program areas.
“We’re very excited to partner with Junaid and Sufia to present forums that align with their foundation’s work,” said Moulthrop. “Their connections and commitment will help us deliver truly meaningful conversations with the community.”
With the announcement of this generous contribution, the City Club’s Guardians of Free Speech Campaign has received more than 250 gifts totaling more than $11,750,000 toward its $12 million goal. You can learn more about the Guardians of Free Speech Campaign here.
You can learn more about the Junaid Family Foundation here.