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Where Your Ramadan Food Boxes Reached in 2019
A Truly Blessed Ramadan Words fail to fully describe how abundant the blessings were during this past 2019 Ramadan. We spent lengthy days and even longer nights where we sought and shared mercy. There’s something we should never forget about this bountiful month: from the moment it begins, millions of people unfortunately still face the same challenging trials they face year-round. Hunger doesn’t stop during Ramadan; poverty doesn’t press pause either. Hunger doesn’t stop during Ramadan; poverty doesn’t press pause either. IRUSA was fortunate to receive donations from so many donors like you who remembered this reality, and acted on it as part of your month-long spiritual reflection. You remembered…
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A Day Off for Eid and a Special Meal — It’s a Luxury
In the U.S., most families try to take the day off of work and school for Eid to make it more special. This Eid, think about what a luxury that is. Because for Saleha, taking off would make the day less special. Saleha, in Bangladesh, goes to work on Eid like she does any other day. If she were to take off, the family would celebrate by having even less to eat. Saleha’s husband is too old and sick to work, and her son-in-law passed away, so she supports her family of seven all alone by working as a maid. They need the money she earns each day—about $1.85 to…
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From Serving to Solving in the Faith Community
Christina Tobias-Nahi is Director of Public Affairs at Islamic Relief USA. The spiritual week of Eid Al-Adha was an action-oriented week for Muslims and other members of the Washington, D.C.-area faith community who work to combat hunger and poverty. Islamic Relief USA was honored to take part in numerous high-level engagements before the well-anticipated arrival of Pope Francis, to work with our counterparts to eradicate hunger and poverty. The goal: to move from merely serving the vulnerable to finding systemic solutions. On the afternoon and evening of Sept. 21, Bread for the World Institute convened an Interfaith Religious Leaders Summit on Ending Hunger by 2030. More than 100 Christian faith…
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3 POWERFUL Islamic Reminders About Your Neighbors For Eid
Nada Shawish is Communications Specialist at Islamic Relief USA. In the throes of celebration — Eid al Adha (Happy Eid!) is a time to rejoice with family and friends—but in celebrating, it’s easy to forget people in need that live among us, like neighbors. Forgetting our neighbors during holidays is about as un-Godly as you can get in Islam. Your neighbors have rights over you every day, Allah (swt) says. It’s that serious. And you need to remember them, especially on holidays. (One of them is to share Eid al-Adha meat on Eid (be amazing and do this!) with your neighbors in need—more on this point later). Here are the reminders…
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From One Idea, Many Toys — And Many Smiles
Two weeks ago, on Eid, trucks headed out across the country, filled to the brim with colorful gifts packaged at Islamic Relief offices—making Eid brighter for thousands of children. Islamic Relief USA’s fourth annual toy drive brought together close to 150 volunteers in 16 cities to organize events collecting more than 3,000 toys for children who might not receive gifts otherwise … and it all stemmed from the initiative of one 11-year-old boy, just three years ago. Rauf’s family was sitting together one night in their brightly decorated living room, enjoying the Ramadan atmosphere and looking forward to Eid. The subject turned to the many new refugees in their community…
