Coronavirus Increases Hunger: Find A Food Bank
HYBLA VALLEY, VA — When you look around your community, it’s easy to see the effects the coronavirus has had on our way of life. What’s less visible is the number of people who are now worrying about having enough to eat.
Islamic Association of Erie, ICNA Relief Provide School Supplies
It’s still unknown when students in the Erie area will return to school, but that didn’t stop community groups from making sure students would be prepared when that time comes. ICNA Relief, an Islamic humanitarian outreach organization, and the Islamic Association of Erie joined together to distribute free bookbags and school supplies to families in need. The Islamic Association of Erie also distributed food from their food pantry to families as well. “There is certainly a need in the community, especially during the virus. Lot’s of low income families will be impacted, but kids are still going to go to school virtually. They would still need supplies to be able to do their studies smoothly.” Razin Karu, the outreach coordinator for Pennsylvania, said. ICNA Relief is a nationwide organization, but has chapters in different regions. The Pennsylvania chapter plans to distribute school supplies to nine cities. Erie was the first stop on the journey. Article Courtesy: erienewsnow.com
PPP a ‘bridge’ for North Shore nonprofits in a dry time
Nonprofit organizations across the North Shore said that loans from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) helped sustain them as streams of revenue were cut off.
FEMA Partnership Day 2020 goes virtual
FEMA commended by the Church of Scientology Disaster Response for featuring many faith disaster response and relief organizations We are honored to work side by side with FEMA and with other National VOAD member organizations to help survivors” — Rev. Susan Taylor, National Director, CSDR
Teen-founded Nonprofit Helping Through COVID-19
Brianna and her family then came together to help others in need: The Subins were soon collecting gift cards, clothing, and toys for families who had been hit hard by the pandemic, and Bake Back America was officially born.
Muslim Charity to Host Fresh Produce Distribution
Islamic Circle of North America Relief has begun distributing fresh produce from USDA Farmers to Families Program. Distributions are scheduled 3 to 6 p.m. every Thursday at Masjid Al-Momineen, 837 N. Indian Creek in Clarkston and 6 to 7 p.m. every Friday at Moores Mill Village Apartment, 2453 Coronet Way NW, Atlanta.
Glendale Heights Plans Food Distribution
A food distribution event for families affected by COVID-19 will be from 9:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. Saturday, June 13, in the parking lot of Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., Glendale Heights.
Transition home offers solutions for women with no place else to go
Muna had only been in the U.S. for a few years when she and her husband decided to separate. A refugee from Iraq, Muna spoke little English. Other than her children, she had no family in the country and had never lived on her own before. “Where can I go?” she thought. She called the International Rescue Committee and they recommended a women’s transition house. The house, run by ICNA Relief, an Islamic charity organization, had strict rules. But Muna was glad to find a safe place to stay, and one with an Islamic environment. In a quiet neighborhood in East Plano, the ICNA transition house provides a roof — and stability — for women who have no other place to go. It’s open to women of all faiths and does not promote any religious beliefs. But it also addresses the unique needs of Muslim women, which ICNA Relief’s leadership says is not the case in other area shelters. Clients face a wide range of circumstances. Some have experienced chronic homelessness, while others, like Muna, have left their husbands and have no work experience. Former residents say the home helped them become independent and confident. Muna and another client agreed to speak with The Dallas Morning News on the condition that only their first names be used for privacy reasons. Unlike a traditional shelter, transitional housing is intended to be a long-term solution to help those experiencing homelessness gain self-sufficiency. This transition home is one of the few in North Texas that serves women experiencing homelessness. Community leaders endorse the house’s mission. Imam Omar Suleiman, founder and president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, says the house’s staff members make their clients feel welcome. “They work from such a deep sense of purpose and faith, that they’re really vested in the real success of the victims…” he said. Strict requirements The transition house is one of 23 houses nationwide operated by ICNA Relief. Since resources are limited, all have strict eligibility requirements, only accepting women who are able-bodied, have no serious mental health issues and have not been involved in a partner-abuse situation. The Dallas home, which at any given time can house up to 10 people, was built in October 2018. Since then, it has served 22 women and 18 children. Only three women have backslid into homelessness, all struggling with their mental health, said Hala Halabi, who oversees refugee programs for ICNA Relief and is the transition home’s site director. Halabi helps manage multiple programs for ICNA Relief in North Texas but spends a lot of time on this one. “We don’t call it a shelter, because it’s not a shelter,” she said. “It is a program that helps sisters to stand on their feet again.” Halabi said that women would call her, crying. They felt out of place at shelters in the area. Some were forced to eat pork since there were few other food options at shelters, she said. Others might get bullied for wearing the hijab or for praying. Suleiman says discrimination against Muslim women in shelters is a common experience. Shelters are overwhelmed, he said, and sometimes don’t have the time or willingness to understand the unique needs of Muslims. That doesn’t happen at the transition home, where ICNA Relief provides halal meat, and women can practice their religion free of judgment in private rooms. A messy separation Muna’s separation from her husband was messy, and their kids got caught in the middle. He ended up calling Child Protective Services, but the mother retained custody. A few months later, a teacher noticed a mark on one of the kids’ faces and reported it to child protective services, and the children were taken from Muna, said Halabi. ICNA Relief helped place the kids in a foster home run by a Muslim family. “Everything was new. I didn’t know anything,” Muna said in Arabic. “With my husband, with the house, with the new living space and the situation with my children.” After leaving the transition house, Muna reconciled with her husband to regain custody of her kids. CPS recently visited her new apartment and deemed it a safe living space for the kids, Halabi said. ICNA Relief helps clients with food, jobs and transportation. Through donations, the organization provided Muna with a car and helped her find an overnight shift at a warehouse in Farmers Branch. The East Plano Islamic Center has typically supported the transition house with $1,000 each month, said Riyad Chowdhury, who handles finances for the mosque. The center has also provided financial assistance for some of the women after they leave the home. Chowdhury says ICNA Relief needs a second transition house in North Texas, given the current economic crisis. “Sister Hala is doing a very good job,” he said. “But she’s a one-person show in this area.” Improving their skills Sumbal, a Pakistani immigrant, stayed at the Dallas transition home for a year. Her husband cheated on her, then kicked her out of their home, leading a friend to recommend the transition house. At first, Sumbal said she had a difficult time adjusting to the house’s strict rules. Residents are not allowed in the house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During these working hours, they must be out, either working, looking for a job or improving their skills. This includes their children, who in a normal life would have to be dropped off at a babysitter or daycare. These rules did not apply during the stay-at-home orders. “We don’t give them a chance to be lazy,” Halabi said. Still, ICNA Relief helps them find jobs and people to look after their kids. Sumbal said the home’s rules taught her how to manage everyday life and become independent. At weekly meetings, she discussed her goals with Halabi and other case managers. She learned how to multitask, manage her time and think critically. “When I first got there, I didn’t have a lot of confidence,” Sumbal said in Urdu. She was concerned that she would not be able
Houses of Worship Help Battle Food Insecurity in Orange County
Mosques, synagogues, churches, Gurudwaras and other religious institutions are all finding ways to feed communities across the country and many are among the distribution sites in Orange County getting food to the people who need it.
