Alexandria, VA – In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, has awarded a $10,000 “Silver Anniversary” grant to Tulsa-based Muslims4Mercy (M4M).
The grant will help M4M fund its programs to help the homeless and the poor in the Tulsa community. One program, Mercy On Wheels, which takes place every week after Friday prayers, consists of the organization’s bright yellow Mercy Van providing food to individuals in need.
The organization also operates a Mercy Café, which is financially supported by the organization’s board members. The IRUSA grant will help alleviate some of the expenses, including rent for the café.
Over the years, Muslims 4 Mercy has entered into various interfaith collaborations. Houses of worship it has worked with in the past include: Harvard Avenue Christian Church, Eastside Christian Church, Fellowship Congressional Church, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, among others.
The “Silver Anniversary Community Bridge-Building” program is an initiative designed to bridge the differences that frequently divide communities – such as religion, race, or political opinion. The grant announcement generated 175 formal inquiries from organizations working in 36 states and the territory of Puerto Rico. That response demonstrates that people all across America are interested in finding common bonds and are committed to a common mission for the sake of their communities.
“The tremendous response from grassroots, community-based and national organizations shows that people who on the surface have little in common can come together to make the world a better place – a place where there’s more unity, more sensitivity, and an
MEDIA CONTACT
Syed M. Hassan
media@irusa.org or
(703) 370-7246
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Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to alleviate suffering, hunger, illiteracy and disease regardless of color, race, gender or creed, and to provide aid in a compassionate and dignified manner. Islamic Relief USA aims to provide rapid relief in the event of human and natural disasters and to establish sustainable local development projects, allowing communities to better help themselves. Its programs benefit millions of people each year around the world, including in the United States.
Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.