The following is an excerpt from an article posted in the aboutislam.net in August 2019:
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Spirit of Giving
Syed M. Hassan, a public affairs specialist with Islamic Relief USA, said it is just that spirit of giving that propelled his organization’s recent Qurbani/Udhiyah `Eid Al-Adha donation campaign to raise $4.2 million, nearly reaching the $4.5-million goal.
Hassan, who is based in Washington, D.C., said the money will be used to feed approximately 800,000 people in 34 countries, including 17,000 in the United States.
Despite most of the money heading outside of America, U.S.-based Muslims made up the vast majority of donors, he explained.
“We are ecstatic about the level of commitment our donors have shown,” Hassan said. “`Eid is a time of giving and a time of generosity so we were so pleased to see our local (US) communities pitch in.”
And even though the $4.5 million goal was not met, Hassan pointed out that donations have been growing from year to year.
“This year we collected $3.094 million in the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah,” Hassan explained. “In 2018 it was $2.999 million, and in 2017 it was $2.987 million.
Since its inception in 1993, Islamic Relief USA has organized various drives and fundraisers to aid Muslims around the world. Programs are coordinated in the D.C. office and fundraising is done out of the eight regional offices around the country, including in California, New Jersey, Florida, Michigan, and Texas.
Udhiyah
Hassan said recent efforts in Texas include an $11,000 grant to Maruf Dallas, ensuring high-quality meat to approximately 400 people. The group also donated $50,000 to aid in the city of Houston’s recovery after Hurricane Harvey devastated the metropolis in summer 2017.
“There was such massive devastation we really wanted to pitch in,” he said.
But help in Houston for those affected by Hurricane Harvey hasn’t stopped there. Hassan said Islamic Relief USA recently secured a $500,000 Red Cross grant to establish a volunteer dormitory in the city.
The dorm – which is currently under renovation – will house teams of volunteers who will work to rebuild homes destroyed in the hurricane. The hope is the teams, once established, will be able to rebuild 15-20 homes per year.
“We want a place where people can come and stay to help in the city’s long-term recovery,” Hassan said.
‘We’re good at immediate response, but now we want to delve into a long-term response. We want to make sure that whatever impact we’re making is a lasting impact.’ ”
Read the full post on aboutislam.net
