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Ramadan Congrats from Congress
Islamic Relief USA Thanks Members of Congress, and Vice Versa, During Ramadan Ceremony An evening of empowerment Islamic Relief USA held its 10th annual Capitol Hill Ramadan Welcoming ceremony Monday evening, April 12. Brother Anwar Khan, president of the organization, wished the participants Ramadan Mubarak. The holy month of fasting officially started for many Muslims on April 13. Khan said the month is about so much more than abstaining from water and food. “We will be fasting from some of the habits that are not the best habits,” he said. Muslims are encouraged to be nicer, donate more to help people in need, and feed those who have little access…
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Banking on Food Security
Islamic Relief USA, Food Bank of Delaware Remain Committed to Reducing Food Insecurity During Pandemic By: Syed Hassan Powerful Partnerships Our friends at the Food Bank of Delaware have been very busy lately. Unfortunately, that’s largely due to the suffering so many people are experiencing, as the coronavirus pandemic (which this month marks one year) has caused food insecurity to rise dramatically. In normal times, it was a struggle enough to get food for many poor and working-class residents. Some of them reside in food deserts, lacking full-fledged grocery stores. Whatever stores that do exist are likely convenience marts with processed or ready-to-eat foods that are hardly nutritious. The solution…
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A Partner Tribute to Remember
Healing for Hope Event Warms Hearts Islamic Relief USA held its 4th Annual Partnership event Monday evening, showcasing the organization’s accomplishments in addressing the challenges brought upon by the coronavirus pandemic. Healing was the theme for this year’s event, which was entirely virtual and livestreamed through various social media platforms. While healing from Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is among the biggest challenges facing society, the event speakers — a cross-section of leaders of nonprofit, faith-based, and governmental organizations– said there are many other problems in conjunction with the virus that rise to pandemic levels. They include hunger, racial injustice, lack of health care for millions, and…
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See you at the polls
Here are 3 steps to make your voting day smoother With more than 40 million people having already cast their votes, this year’s presidential election promises to be exciting. Or stressful, depending on how you approach it. Recent news stories have described the long, multi-hour lines voters are enduring to practice their constitutional right. Turnout for early voting has already shattered records of past election cycles. But millions more are expected to vote, through mail-in ballots or in person on Election Day, which falls on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Here are some steps to make sure your experience goes as smoothly as possible: Know where your voting location is? Given the…
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Your Vote, Your Voice
IRUSA gears up for a game-changing get out the vote campaign. Let nobody tell you otherwise; your voice matters, particularly on Election Day. With several elections scheduled Nov. 3, including one for the presidency, it is essential we practice our right to vote. It is a right we can’t take for granted. As several recent elections have shown, every vote is precious and plays an integral role in determining policy. Elections have consequences as they signal our priorities, our values, and our convictions. To help generate interest and, more importantly, action, Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit 501(c)3 humanitarian and advocacy organization, has launched a Get Out the Vote campaign on…
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A Global Crisis Means A Global Response
IRUSA ramps up support to communities devastated by COVID-19 Millions of dollars’ worth of emergency assistance to more than 20 at-risk countries has been released by Islamic Relief (of which Islamic Relief USA is a part of) in a bid to stem the spread of the deadly Coronavirus, help those infected and support vulnerable communities that have been the hardest hit. I Thousands of hygiene kits containing essentials like hand sanitizer, surgical masks and thermometers have already been delivered to high-risk communities in places like Syria and Afghanistan where vital health infrastructure has crumbled due to conflict. In the coming week, more critical assistance such as ventilators, lab kits and…
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One-on-One with Congressman André Carson
Indiana representative provides a window into policy decisions in the pandemic Watch recording here A Sliver of Hope Indiana Rep. Andre Carson (D-7) said on Wednesday, April 8, that he hopes to have another bill of the CARES ( Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act enacted to address some of the issues that weren’t included in the first round. The CARES Act is a $2.2 trillion stimulus bill recently passed by Congress to address the various social and economic aftereffects of the coronavirus outbreak (formally known as COVID-19) that have brought much of the worldwide economy to a standstill. The holding pattern has caused record unemployment (more than 10…
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DRT Returns to Continue Houston Recovery
IRUSA Disaster Response Team to Hold Home-Rebuilding Sessions in Hurricane Harvey-Ravaged Houston, Texas Islamic Relief USA’s (IRUSA) Disaster Response Team (DRT) will hold two week-long sessions of its popular, ongoing home rebuilding project in Houston, Texas, repairing houses that were damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Volunteers will lodge at the new dormitory, made possible by a grant from the American Red Cross, among other resources. The dorm will house dozens of people, helping create a spirit of teamwork, camaraderie, and mission. The first week-long session is scheduled for Feb. 23-29. The next opportunity to volunteer is during the week of March 15-21. Slots are still available. “We are truly…
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Islamic Relief USA Gala Celebrates Teamwork and Community
The Power of Building Bridges is hall-marked by IRUSA Partnership Gala Celebrating the work made possible through alliances with other organizations, Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) hosted its 3rd annual Partnership Gala on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Georgetown Marriott in Washington, D.C. “This is one of my favorite nights of the year,” said Anwar Khan, president of IRUSA. “Tonight is a celebration of love.” The theme of this year’s gala, “Building Bridges, Creating Community” was aptly symbolized by individuals from different faith-based groups and other entities crossing a small garden bridge to reach the podium and collect their awards. This year, IRUSA recognized organizations it worked with and to who it awarded some of…
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On World Poverty Day, Let’s Do All We Can to Mitigate Suffering
At Islamic Relief USA, every waking hour is devoted to reducing poverty. That’s why it was unusual when I learned there was a particular day dedicated to this cause. According to the United Nations, October 17 is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (also known as World Poverty Day). The UN first declared this day back in 1992. While much progress has been made in the standard of living for many people in many nations around the world, poverty, if not extreme poverty, unfortunately remain common. In the United States alone, there are some 38 million people living in impoverished conditions. To combat this, Islamic Relief USA conducts many…
