GRANADA HILLS : Businessman Heads Cairo Relief Efforts

A Granada Hills businessman was named Friday by Egyptian government officials to coordinate Los Angeles-area relief efforts for victims of last week’s 5.9 earthquake in Cairo, which left at least 400 dead and thousands homeless or injured.

The appointment of Nabil Assad, 42, who owns the Jasmine Bazaar shopping mall in Reseda and a chain of dry-cleaning shops, was announced by Hamdi Saleh, Egyptian consul in San Franciso.

Assad has relatives and friends in Cairo and immediately began to solicit donations after the quake, Saleh said. “We are very fortunate to have a man of Nabil Assad’s tremendous influence and extensive contacts throughout Southern California to help us organize our energies during this most critical time for the desperate survivors,” Saleh said.

Assad, who came to the United States 21 years ago, said none of his relatives died or were seriously hurt in the disaster, but “everyone knows someone who was.”

Assad said he is collecting money, medical supplies, blankets, sleeping bags, canned food and clothing at his business at 18238 Sherman Way.

TWA has volunteered to fly the donations to Egypt, he said. Assad said they hope to arrive there sometime this week.

Arrangements to have donated items picked up or to make monetary contributions to the relief effort can be made by calling Assad at 818-996-4155 or Saleh at the Egyptian consulate, 415-544-0916.