Alexandria, VA — Alexandria mayor Allison Silberberg and other city officials joined Islamic Relief USA for a Ramadan dinner, or iftar, on June 12. City council members, police department representatives, the chamber of commerce CEO, state Assemblyman Mark Levine (45th district), and a representative from the office of Sen. Mark Warner joined Islamic Relief and local residents in the interfaith event.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. It’s also a time of extra community service, when they give extra charity and work to alleviate hunger.
Islamic Relief USA serves the Alexandria community year-round, with events such as food collections to benefit food banks, and a recent community service project in which Islamic Relief staff painted a children’s waiting room at the Department of Health and Family Services.
Islamic Relief USA appreciated a Alexandria City Council statement published in late November affirming itself as a community of diversity and inclusion.
“People of faith and conscience have been working for years to end hunger and poverty among our nation’s poor and vulnerable in the communities where we work,” CEO Anwar Khan said. “We look forward to breaking bread with those that enable us to do the work we do by creating a positive climate for us to operate.”
Islamic Relief USA held a similar event with Mayor Bill de Blasio in New York on June 1, and another Ramadan dinner is planned in Washington, D.C., on June 20 with the Mayor and City Council.
Note to Editors:
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar (ninth month), started this year in late May and will end June 24, depending on sighting of the Moon. Each day during this month, Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink between dawn and sunset. They are also encouraged to give generously and care for fellow human beings. Muslims are also keen to share food with neighbors and friends. In many Muslim countries, there is a tradition of organizing free food kitchens for people in need during Ramadan. In the West, many Muslims volunteer or donate to local charities or food banks.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christina Tobias-Nahi
cnahi@irusa.org, 703-236-9796
Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. IRUSA’s programs benefit more than 10 million of people each year in over 40 countries 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.