ICNA Announces National Campaign Against Hunger

 

The Islamic Circle of North America is launching a month-long National Campaign Against Hunger during the month of October 2010. The National Campaign Against Hunger aims to tackle hunger from both a social service and social justice perspective. This initiative follows “Save Family Save Society,” a grassroots national family campaign successfully held by ICNA in October 2009.

14.6% of U.S. households struggle to put enough food on the table. More than 49 million Americans—including 16.7 million children—live in these households. Nearly one in four children is at risk of hunger. Among African-Americans and Latinos, 1 in 3 children is at risk of hunger.

Along with Islamic centers nationwide, ICNA divisions and units will volunteer at soup kitchens, mobile food vans, food pantries and food drives. These activities will help strengthen grassroots social services headed by ICNA Relief.
The following questions and more will be posed by ICNA’s Council for Social Justice: Why does hunger exist in America? Is there a food shortage? Is the structure of food programs itself a problem? How do we fix this system of economic inequality?
The National Campaign Against Hunger follows in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as he was known for his compassion towards the needy of society. The campaign is also inspired by ICNA’s charter which dictates a “strengthening [of] the bond of humanity by serving all those in need anywhere in the world, with special focus on our [local] neighborhoods across North America.”
ICNA requests Islamic centers to join the campaign this October by dedicating Jumuah sermons to the topic, holding job & skill training sessions to tackle hunger and organizing “Feed the Hungry” programs in their respective communities.