Alexandria, Va. – Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, recently provided hundreds of prayer rugs to The Salvation Army to aid their effort in Operation Allies Welcome at Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB) near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at secure facilities across the United States.
Click here for a closer look at HAFB Operation Allies Welcome.
The Salvation Army Southwest Division Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) has collaborated with Holloman Spouses Organization and the HAFB Military Joint Task Force on warehousing operations for donations and resources being sourced for distribution to Afghan evacuees arriving to the base. They’re being provided with individual bags consisting of clean clothing, shoes, hygiene items, personal items, etc., and requests were made for prayer blankets.
Some 1,500 prayer rugs were shipped to HAFB at the request of The Salvation Army, which contacted IRUSA earlier this month to address this critical need. The people of Afghanistan are overwhelmingly Muslims, whose practice includes five daily prayers.
“We were happy to help and honored to be asked to assist in this sensitive matter. Islamic Relief USA always looks forward to forming valuable partnerships and working relationships with esteemed organizations like the Salvation Army,” said Araif Yusuff, interim programs director for IRUSA. “Collaborations like these only increase the likelihood of successful and effective outcomes, such as providing payer rugs for refugees from Afghanistan. It’s incumbent upon all of us to provide them as smooth a transition as possible to their new surroundings.”
“The Salvation Army cannot do the important work it does without big-hearted organizations such as Islamic Relief USA,” said Lt. Colonel Ivan Wild, Commander of The Salvation Army Southwest Division, serving New Mexico, Arizona and Southern Nevada. “The people of Operation Allies Welcome are working tirelessly on this humanitarian effort, and these prayer mats will provide a sense of comfort to Afghan evacuees during a most difficult time.”
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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. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 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.
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.