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Islamic Relief USA’s Partnership Gala Celebrates the Work of Refugee Resettlement Agency Partners
by: Syed Hassan Islamic Relief USA held its 6th annual Partnership Gala on Wednesday, December 7th, an event that served as an opportunity to thank the many refugee resettlement organizations it has collaborated with over the past year. “We’re very blessed to bring you all here together,” said Christina Tobias Nahi, director of IRUSA’s Public Affairs and Research Advocacy Department. “We wanted to honor [the agencies] for the very difficult work they do. It is a dedication to those on the front lines.” She mentioned a successful program at the University of Denver, where students in hospitality learn to work with immigrants and refugees to obtain culinary skills for employment.…
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IRUSA Participates in White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, Health
by Syed M. Hassan Islamic Relief USA has long advocated for and supported programs designed to curb food insecurity and improve access to nutritious food. Unfortunately, for millions of Americans, high costs and living in food deserts serve as major roadblocks. For the first time in 53 years, the White House is hosting a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 28 in Washington, DC. IRUSA’s President and co-founder, Anwar Khan, will attend this event along with government officials, business executives, nonprofit leaders, researchers, and community activists, to achieve the goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases in the US by 2030. “It…
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This Ramadan, Food Boxes Matter
Why hunger won’t just go away It’s here With Ramadan quickly approaching, Muslims around the world will fast from sunrise to sunset each day for 30 consecutive days. It is an arduous task, especially as the days have become longer and the weather gets hotter. It is a month where we further develop our spiritual enlightenment, exhibit greater empathy for our most vulnerable populations, and make sacrifices. Ramadan can serve as a monthlong reminder about how much we have…and how, unintentionally, we take food and water for granted. That is why it’s important to keep the populations in mind for whom food is either insufficient, difficult to access, or have…
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5th Annual Partnership Gala Shines Bright
Islamic Relief USA Celebrates Strong Relationships with Fellow Agencies at Annual Partnership Tribute Food insecurity at the forefront Islamic Relief USA’s work in reducing food insecurity, providing aid in the wake of natural disasters, and helping resettle refugees were among the accomplishments made possible by strong partnerships with fellow nonprofit organizations and government agencies, all of which were highlighted in the organization’s virtual 5th Annual Partnership Tribute on Wednesday, Dec 8. In the past year, these pacts have helped address hunger in Ethiopia, fires that broke out in Turkey, and the manifold humanitarian crisis following the pullout of U.S. troops and change in government in Afghanistan. The suffering of the…
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Turkeys for All
Some 82,000 people will be served this season via IRUSA’s turkey distributions One of Islamic Relief USA’s most popular seasonal programs took place just days before Thanksgiving. The 2021 U.S. Turkey Distribution strives to provide turkeys to families and households experiencing food insecurity or other difficulties. During a time of rising food costs, these turkeys can make all the difference between a festive meal or just getting by. The estimated price for a turkey this year across the country is a whopping $28! Partners across America worked with IRUSA to place turkeys in the hands of as many people we serve as possible. As is IRUSA’s custom, all of the 16,000-plus turkeys are halal,…
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Oct. 23 Proclaimed ‘Islamic Relief USA Day’ by Harris County Commissioner
Proclamation made during the Grand Opening ceremony of IRUSA’s Houston facility and Day of Dignity event. The City of Houston has a lot going for it. A vibrant downtown, great diversity (Muslims will feel very welcome with its numerous halal restaurants and mosques), and relatively low gas prices (just $2.89 per gallon of regular unleaded at one Mobil station not too far from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport). Now, the city has something else to celebrate; a new Islamic Relief USA building. The nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization held a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 23, for its new volunteer dormitory on Lee Road in North Houston. The facility…
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Dar al-Hijrah Qurbani brings out Community Strong
One of VA’s largest mosques partners to fulfill Udhiyah rites Busy Bees The cars steadily pulled into the gated parking lot of Dar Al Hijrah mosque in Falls Church-Fairfax County. One by one, they navigated the nearly full lot to get something a little different from the usual Thursday food pantry allocations. On this particular Thursday, Aug. 5, people waiting in line were scheduled to receive a 5-pound piece of lamb, a food that aptly symbolizes the Islamic tradition of Qurbani. Islamic Relief USA’s (IRUSA) Qurbani campaign enables people who normally don’t have access to high-quality meat to have a taste of it. In addition to upholding a religious tradition,…
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IRUSA and FEMA Partner to Fight COVID
Houston becomes site for vaccination support by IRUSA Islamic Relief USA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are on a mission to get as many people vaccinated as possible. IRUSA has teamed up with FEMA again, this time in Houston. For this week, IRUSA volunteers will help out at NRG Stadium (normally home to Houston Texans football team), which is serving as a mass vaccination site. People could choose vaccines from either Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson. The organization, along with SEWA International and the American Pharmacist Association, was part of a team of 14 volunteers. They helped out in various non-clinician tasks to ensure people were inoculated. Among them were…
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My Ramadan Food-Pack Experience
Minhaj Hassan tells his food pack story Back to the blessings It was another weekend devoted to an Islamic Relief USA pack-out in the same Springfield warehouse. And, it felt just as good as the first time. IRUSA volunteers department had organized another food-pack with all COVID-19 limitations and conditions being considered, successfully. This time, the event involved tens of volunteers pouring rice, soy, and beans into cellophane bags and then sealing them up. People were stationed at tables pouring the contents through funnels, and then measuring the bags to make sure they don’t have too much in them. The format was different from the Ramadan Food Box pack-outs that took…
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Ramadan Food Pack-Outs a Massive Success
Co-written by Christina Tobias-Nahi IRUSA’s volunteer-driven food pack outs return in full force across the nation It was back! A warehouse in Springfield, Virginia was teeming with excitement, dedication, and a sense of mission. Volunteers, of all ages and sizes, were decked out in royal blue Islamic Relief USA T-shirts, ready to — as we say here– make a difference in the world. The event, basically an annual ritual, did not take place last year, due to the then-novel coronavirus pandemic. While the pandemic is still upon us, requiring all to be masked and socially distanced, the precautions are sufficient to safely put on the event. Several long tables were…
