Demir at Orphan Care Event in Mali | 2025
ABOUT HALIL DEMIR
Halil Demir is the Founder and Executive Director of the Zakat Foundation of America (ZFA), a leading international humanitarian organization headquartered in Chicago and active in more than 50 countries.
Demir has worked for alleviating poverty and building community over 25 years, mostly in the field. He worked to advance faith-based philanthropy, refugee education, and social justice through ethical and sustainable development models.
In leading a broad, multicultural organization with operations worldwide, he applies his expertise in cross-cultural communication to foster collaboration and shared purpose among global teams.
Demir has pioneered innovative programs that combine emergency relief with long-term empowerment—founding Zahra University for displaced Syrian students, the Halil Ibrahim Demir School in Türkiye, and the Halil Demir Mental Health Unit in Mali. His work emphasizes dignity, sustainability, and intercultural collaboration in humanitarian action.
A polyglot fluent in six languages, Demir has personally led field missions in more than 35 crisis zones, including Gaza, Yemen, Syria, and Pakistan, and has represented ZFA in global media and international forums.
He holds degrees in Sociology (University of Basel, Switzerland), History (Chicago State University), and Nonprofit Management (North Park University), completed an Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Education at the University of Vienna, focusing on tuition-free university models.
Demir’s leadership has been recognized by the Mayor of Chicago, Harvard University, and the Global Islamic Finance Awards, among others. He continues to serve on the boards of several humanitarian, interfaith, and mental health organizations, working to advance ethical, inclusive, and globally impactful humanitarian leadership.
Of Turkish origin, Demir is married to an African American nurse. Though his humanitarian commitments leave little free time, he deeply values moments spent with his family and grandchildren.
India Eid Gift Distribution | 2023
Demir with Martin Sheen
Demir with Congressman Danny K. Davis of Illinois
Halil Demir and his wife with President Bush
ABOUT HALIL DEMIR
Halil Demir is the Founder and Executive Director of the Zakat Foundation of America (ZFA), a leading international humanitarian organization headquartered in Chicago and active in more than 50 countries.
Demir has worked for alleviating poverty and building community over 25 years, mostly in the field. He worked to advance faith-based philanthropy, refugee education, and social justice through ethical and sustainable development models.
In leading a broad, multicultural organization with operations worldwide, he applies his expertise in cross-cultural communication to foster collaboration and shared purpose among global teams.
Demir has pioneered innovative programs that combine emergency relief with long-term empowerment—founding Zahra University for displaced Syrian students, the Halil Ibrahim Demir School in Türkiye, and the Halil Demir Mental Health Unit in Mali. His work emphasizes dignity, sustainability, and intercultural collaboration in humanitarian action.
A polyglot fluent in six languages, Demir has personally led field missions in more than 35 crisis zones, including Gaza, Yemen, Syria, and Pakistan, and has represented ZFA in global media and international forums.
He holds degrees in Sociology (University of Basel, Switzerland), History (Chicago State University), and Nonprofit Management (North Park University), completed an Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Education at the University of Vienna, focusing on tuition-free university models.
Demir’s leadership has been recognized by the Mayor of Chicago, Harvard University, and the Global Islamic Finance Awards, among others. He continues to serve on the boards of several humanitarian, interfaith, and mental health organizations, working to advance ethical, inclusive, and globally impactful humanitarian leadership.
Of Turkish origin, Demir is married to an African American nurse. Though his humanitarian commitments leave little free time, he deeply values moments spent with his family and grandchildren.