Every year in the fall season, IRUSA’s Turkey Meal initiative gives out thousands of turkeys to people in need.
This year especially saw millions of Americans lose their livelihoods due to COVID-19. For those already living on a tight budget, finding a way to pay the bills and ensure happy family occasions is even more challenging.
With the help of IRUSA’s partners, IRUSA was able to roll out our nationwide turkey distributions throughout so many cities. See the nearest distribution to you here.
Did you know that 1 in 5 children in America are living poverty? Or that nearly half of all Americans live paycheck to paycheck?
Homelessness, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water access, sanitation, and health care aren’t just international problems. They exist right here at home in our neighborhoods.
And when disaster strikes, the need for urgent aid and support grows exponentially.
As Islam teaches us, charity starts at home, and that’s why Islamic Relief USA is dedicated to supporting work across America that makes sure families have shelter, kids have food, and disaster survivors and refugees get the support they need. In 2020 alone, IRUSA reached vulnerable communities in more than 350 cities nationwide!
Here’s just a sampling of our recent efforts across the U.S.
As much as we’ve been able to achieve in helping our neighbors in need, there is still so much more to do. If we work together—with YOU—we can make the vision of a better living condition for our vulnerable community members a reality.
$1,000 can help support a free health clinic
$250 can provide our Disaster Response Team with the resources they need to respond swiftly during emergencies
$50 can provide a food package to a family in need
Please donate now and help break the chains of poverty and pain for our most-vulnerable neighbors.
Basher was the first client of a special program IRUSA donors put together to help refugees new to North Carolina, by providing support like rent assistance and case management, as well as guiding them through social services and getting them acclimated to their new communities. What made this program really special is that it was dedicated to those who have had difficulty settling because of medical conditions or psychological trauma and low English proficiency.
Basher, a refugee from Syria, was this program’s first client.
His road to North Carolina was difficult: He was tortured in Syria, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He escaped with his mother, and now found himself in a completely new place, not knowing how to restart.
In comes the IRUSA Refugee program. Basher made this important connection and got to work right away on setting himself up for success. He started taking English lessons for 20 hours a week. IRUSA’s regional case manager Wasif Qureshi, who worked directly with Basher, added that Basher noted that he wanted to work with computers or be a translator. As he worked first on creating a resume and improving his English, Basher set his sights on getting a job.
Two years after coming to the States, Basher had enrolled in college. Throughout his studies, Basher has maintained a 4.0 GPA (grade point average) and is dedicated to keep that streak going. On top of that, Basher and his mother have moved to a new home through the help of IRUSA, and Basher is going through physical therapy.
But the most remarkable part of his journey so far is likely this: Earlier this year, he took his first steps upstairs!! And with therapy he hopes he can do more.