good for them - Day of Dignity

[doggie]

In downtown Portland, Muslims plan 'Day of Dignity' for city's homeless

 

Anne Saker, The Oregonian

Published: Sep 8, 2011 2:12 PM

 

Photo 1 of 1

Muslims in Portland will offer food, medical care and haircuts to the city's homeless Oct. 1 as part of a nationwide Day of Dignity sponsored by the humanitarian group Islamic Relief USA.

 

Laila Hajoo, president of Islamic Social Services of Oregon State in Portland, said the event, in its fifth year, will take place under the western terminus of the Hawthorne Bridge. In the previous two years, Portland's Day of Dignity was in the North Park Blocks.

 

Hajoo says this year's Day of Dignity is particularly important to Muslims, coming so quickly after the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

 

"American Muslims, no matter who they are, still get branded as terrorists," she says. "The only way we can show who we are is to be involved in community affairs."

 

Hot food, medical checkups, HIV/AIDS testing, haircuts and personal supplies will be available free during the event.

 

The nine-year-old national campaign, with 15 cities involved, is coordinated and sponsored by the global relief organization, which is based in Alexandria, Va. A fact sheet from Islamic Relief says that in 2010, its programs helped more than 4.3 million people in 35 countries, including the United States.

 

Among the groups participating in Portland: Southwest Community Health Center, Family Walk-in Medical Clinic, Department of Human Services, the Healthy Kids program of the Oregon Health Authority, Immaculate Heart Catholic Church of North Portland, theHorn of Africa restaurant in Northeast Portland, Bilal Mosque in Beaverton, Oregon Islamic Chaplain Organization, Muslim Educational Trust, Islamic Society of Portland and the Muslim Community Center of Portland.

 

For more information, send email or call503-259-2320.

 

-- Anne Saker, Twitter @dwtnPDXreporter

[lovefromgirl]

If this were Facebook, I would be hitting "LIKE" so hard the button 'sploded. Well done, Islamic Relief. So many people forget that giving is one of the five pillars of Islam...

[mirele]

Nice work, Islamic Relief, in getting this organized and working with other groups to have this event.

[CelticGoddess]

In downtown Portland, Muslims plan 'Day of Dignity' for city's homeless

Anne Saker, The Oregonian

Published: Sep 8, 2011 2:12 PM

Photo 1 of 1

Muslims in Portland will offer food, medical care and haircuts to the city's homeless Oct. 1 as part of a nationwide Day of Dignity sponsored by the humanitarian group Islamic Relief USA.

Laila Hajoo, president of Islamic Social Services of Oregon State in Portland, said the event, in its fifth year, will take place under the western terminus of the Hawthorne Bridge. In the previous two years, Portland's Day of Dignity was in the North Park Blocks.

Hajoo says this year's Day of Dignity is particularly important to Muslims, coming so quickly after the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"American Muslims, no matter who they are, still get branded as terrorists," she says. "The only way we can show who we are is to be involved in community affairs."

Hot food, medical checkups, HIV/AIDS testing, haircuts and personal supplies will be available free during the event.

The nine-year-old national campaign, with 15 cities involved, is coordinated and sponsored by the global relief organization, which is based in Alexandria, Va. A fact sheet from Islamic Relief says that in 2010, its programs helped more than 4.3 million people in 35 countries, including the United States.

Among the groups participating in Portland: Southwest Community Health Center, Family Walk-in Medical Clinic, Department of Human Services, the Healthy Kids program of the Oregon Health Authority, Immaculate Heart Catholic Church of North Portland, theHorn of Africa restaurant in Northeast Portland, Bilal Mosque in Beaverton, Oregon Islamic Chaplain Organization, Muslim Educational Trust, Islamic Society of Portland and the Muslim Community Center of Portland.

For more information, send email or call503-259-2320.

-- Anne Saker, Twitter @dwtnPDXreporter

If only some of our fundies could do something for the homeless? Other than praying over them

[Sola]

If this were Facebook, I would be hitting "LIKE" so hard the button 'sploded. Well done, Islamic Relief. So many people forget that giving is one of the five pillars of Islam...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Days-of-D ... 5703923438

Here you go.

[bananacat]

I know they mean well, but I am generally cynical of these one-day attempts to help people, who are then promptly forgotten once the publicity is gone. This is a PR stunt, not a charity.

Homeless people are still people, and they need food every day, not just once a year.

[lovefromgirl]

bises, Sola! :)

[UmmSqueakster]

I know they mean well, but I am generally cynical of these one-day attempts to help people, who are then promptly forgotten once the publicity is gone. This is a PR stunt, not a charity.

Homeless people are still people, and they need food every day, not just once a year.

This is certainly one of their big pushes to get more people aware of the charity and their mission. If they can drag people out of their homes for one day, hopefully at least a few of them will step up year round.

Here are a list of year round IR activities in the US:

http://www.irusa.org/countries/united-states/

* U.S. food service for kids

IRUSA has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a food service program to provide food to low-income children who rely on school for their meals. IRUSA has been providing healthy meals to kids at summer schools, after-school programs, camps and community facilities at 30 sites within the Muslim community, and plans to have more than 100 sites established within the coming year.

* Community grants

IRUSA provides grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the country, to provide access to quality health care; to promote sustainable socio-economic development; and to elevate the standard of living of those in need. Here are some of IRUSA’s recent grants projects.

Women’s Health Clinic and Home Center: Muslimat Al Nisaa, Baltimore

Muslimat Al Nisaa provides health, education, shelter and other social services to underserved communities in Baltimore. IRUSA helped the health clinic expand its services and provide health education, and provided funding for a shelter for battered women and their children. This center benefits 2,000 people a year.

Food Bank: Cultural Cup Food Bank, Phoenix

IRUSA supports a prescription medication program for those without medical insurance, and provides funding for an emergency food pantry.

Native American Indian Relief: Seeds of Faith Ministries, Millersville, MD

This program funds the transport of necessary supplies to American Indian elders and families in Oklahoma and Arizona.

Health Clinic: Inner City Muslim Action Network Health Clinic, Chicago

IRUSA’s support helps this health clinic in Chicago provide full health services to the local community, benefiting 1,200 Americans. This grant also enabled the center to hire its first medical director.

# Day of Dignity

Day of Dignity creates an opportunity for caring individuals from diverse communities to provide services to their neighbors in need. This grassroots effort brings volunteers around the country together each year to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care and other services. In 2010, for its eighth annual campaign, IRUSA expanded the event to 22 cities. The campaign recruited 2,000 volunteers to serve 20,000 people throughout the U.S. This project aims to mobilize communities to establish long-lasting efforts to continue the service year-round.

# Emergency relief

IRUSA teams were some of the first responders during two of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history: in 2005, IRUSA was among the first responders to provide emergency relief to survivors of Hurricane Katrina after it slammed the Gulf Coast. Then, in 2011, IRUSA was again among the first relief organizations to provide assistance after tornadoes swept through Alabama, killing hundreds and decimating entire communities.

# Family financial assistance programs

“Zakah†means “giving of alms,†and is a charitable act that is the duty of every Muslim. Thousands of people benefit from IRUSA’s zakah program, which provide financial assistance to those with emergency needs. The program helps struggling people meet basic living costs including food, clothing and shelter, along with other family needs.

# Homeless and underserved service projects

One way IRUSA’s assists homeless and underserved neighbors is by working with Women’s Affairs of Al-Mumtahimah in Baltimore to establish a temporary homeless shelter for women and children. The project will also provide the shelter’s beneficiaries—some 1,000 a year—with life skills training and employment counseling.

Health Clinic: UMMA, Los Angeles

UMMA provides high-quality prevention and intervention services to unemployed and homeless individuals in southern Los Angeles.IRUSA’s funding also helped the clinic expand in size by more than 33%, allowing it to provide thousands of additional health-care visits each year.

Housing Project: Lutheran Housing Services, Fairfax, VA

IRUSA supports Lutheran Housing Services, helping it to operate, maintain and subsidize its Oak Leather Knoll housing project.

Domestic Violence Imam Training: Peaceful Families Project, Great Falls, VA

IRUSA provided funding for the Peaceful Families Project to train 10 imams in the dynamics of abuse and the effects of domestic violence so they could raise awareness and provide effective intervention in Muslim communities.

Psychological First Aid: Muslim Social Services Agency, Baltimore

This project offers psychological training programs to volunteers who can assist individuals in low-income neighborhoods suffering from psychological distress.

Flood Emergency Repair: Islamic School of Rhode Island, Providence, RI

IRUSA funded repairs to the school after flooding damaged the roof, floor, boiler and electrical system

[Sola]

One of the things I have noticed about Islamic charity work here in the UK, is that they just get on with it without any fanfare. There's no proselyting either. If people ask, they say that it is one of the pillars of Islam.

Dougie Phillips could learn a lot from them.

[Guest Anonymous]

I pound nails for Habitat with some folks from our local Mosque. If there is a volunteer effort in our town you can depend on the local Muslim community to step up to the plate. No fanfare, they just come and do. Same with our food pantries which are primarily in xtian churches. The big fundy churches around here do little and their folks never show up for interfaith efforts, or make an attempt at joining the interfaith community locally. They're all the 'I gave at church' kinda crowd.

[Black Aliss]

fundies are too busy shaving daddy's chin and washing his feet to do the same for homeless people.