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Philanthropist Bita Daryabari Expands Reach from Bay Area to Orange County with $5 Million Endowment to UC Berkeley and New Pars Equality Center Office in IrvinePhilanthropist and humanitarian Bita Daryabari announces the official opening of the new Pars Equality Center (PEC)-the only non-profit organization providing comprehensive social, legal and community services to the Iranian-American community-location in Irvine, California. Now open, the new office is located at 2091 Business Center Drive, Suite 230, and can be reached by calling toll free (866) 711-PARS. Daryabari is also gifting a $5 million endowment to the University of California, Berkeley, to further the study of Iranian languages, literature, history, arts and culture. Daryabari, who was just named in Gentry magazine's Top 50 Bay Area Philanthropists issue, says, "We are thrilled to be expanding Pars Equality Center to Orange (News - Alert) County. Our community-based philosophy offers newcomers and the American born educational support, women's health, job and computer training, legal counsel, and even housing, so that they can be productive in American society." PEC recently held its 6th Anniversary Fundraising Gala where special guest Congressman Mike Honda (News - Alert) praised Daryabari's work, saying, "I would like for Bita Daryabari to know that her hard work does not go unnoticed. Myself and my colleagues in Congress recognize that this nation would not be the country of opportunity to the extent that it is without the tireless efforts of people like Bita and her work with Pars Equality Center. There is no doubt that we need this Center more than ever." UC Berkele Endowment The Bita Daryabari Presidential Chair in Iranian Studies, financed by her $5 million contribution and a grant of $500,000 from the University of California Presidential Match for Endowed Chairs, will support teaching and research by a faculty member in the Department of Near Eastern Studies (NES), with a preference for work focused on ancient Iran. When asked why she created the new endowment for UC Berkeley, Daryabari said, "Hopefully, all of these students studying Iranian history and culture will make a difference in the future. Being a mother of three children deepens my motivation to provide for coming generations." The UC Berkeley gift is one of a series of endowments by Daryabari, including UC Davis ($1.5 million), Stanford University ($6.5 million) and the University of Cambridge, England ($2 million), to support continuing research on the Shahnama, or The Book of Kings, the emblematic text of Persian historical culture. Additional efforts by Daryabari to further higher education include contributions to the UC San Francisco Mission Bay ($1.5 million) for neuroscience research and the Bita Daryabari Scholarship Program For Women of Middle East in Business and Law at Golden Gate University ($1 million). Daryabari was also recently recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation by Los Angeles City Council member Mike Bonin, as well as West LA Neighborhood Field Deputy and Chair Len Nguyen and Council member Jay Handal for making Los Angeles "a better city in which to live."
Website: www.parsequalitycenter.org
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