Day of Dignity 2009: Atlanta

Day of Dignity 2009- D.C. Beneficiary Speaks on Poverty

Staff Member, Melissa Barreto, reflects on her experience at the Day of Dignity 2009 event in Washington D.C.

Looking out the plane window at the city neighborhoods below, I wondered how many men and women were roaming the streets in between with no families to protect them and no place to call home.

Men and women like John, who as he told me his story, cried at the thought of how difficult his life has been. Living back on the streets near Union Station for a second time, John cried i front of me because he felt forced to leave his family, because he had no place to go, and because he felt his spirit was broken.

"Poverty breaks your spirit," he told me.

Working with the CCNV shelter in the Capital Hill area of D.C., I saw over 700 men and women line up to receive supplies that the Day of Dignity volunteers were offering them. Many people were older and looked worn from the days, weeks and probably years of hardships that had come before that day.

If their years passed were anything like John told me that his were, they probably included drug use, broken families and instability as they wandered from one shelter to another with minimal hope for the future.

"There's gotta be another way we can rectify this homeless problem," John said. "It's increasing day by day. People look at you differently because you're on the street, but they have no idea what you might might be going through or what you've been through."

"There's too many people on the streets that don't have nowhere to go, don' know if they're going to eat or if they're going to survive. It's not easy."

As the plane flew higher, I realized that I had left John almost the same way I found him: sitting alone on a curb outside Union Station, a black suitcase containing all his belongings on his right and a paper cup on his left that he used to beg for coins.

The only difference was the black cloth bag at his feet with an Islamic Relief USA logo on the front and towels, socks, gloves, a hat, and hygiene kit inside.

Day of Dignity 2009 - Special Message from Karim Amin

Day of Dignity 2009- Someone to Listen, if Only for One Day

Day of Dignity 2009 National Coordinator, Karim Amin reflects on the D.C. Day of Dignity event.

Under the shadows of the capitol, where laws are passed and all men are created equal, we find the worst inequalities.

Everyone on this day has a story. From the abused woman who had to choose between a home or her life, to the man with his bags packed but no where to go, who just lost his wife. Now the streets are his home.

Life doesn’t always give us roses. But on this day Islamic Relief volunteers gave a something to brighten the day of some of D.C.’s poorest residents. Led by Sayeed Mowlina, dozens of volunteers provided food, clothing, hygiene products, and a smile to people that are homeless and residents of CCNV shelter.

One gentleman I met shared his story with us. He was recently separated from his wife and forced back on the street. The streets were now his home for the second time in his life. Through strained tears he told his story. We provided him with a bag of food, hygiene kits, clothing, and gloves.

He said he needed the help. It brightened his day. Although he appreciated the products, most of all he appreciated someone listening to him, if only for one day.

Day of Dignity 2009: D.C. Volunteers Answer "Why Do You Think This Work is Important?"

Day of Dignity 2009: Philadelphia Beneficiaries

Day of Dignity 2009: Baltimore Volunteers

Day of Dignity 2009- Recap from Baltimore Coordinator, Imam Hassan Amin

Day of Dignity 2009- Baltimore Testimonials

WaPo Mentions 'Day of Dignity'

The Washington Post's website recently mentioned the 'Day of Dignity' and the Obama administration's efforts to focus on interfaith volunteerism.

The article describes the United We Serve campaign, which encourages Americans to help out in their communities in different ways. The 'Day of Dignity' was mentioned as an example.

An excerpt from the article is below:

Muslim-American community organizations are working to help communities, from Atlanta to Baltimore and from Phoenix to Philadelphia, through Muslim Americans Answer the Call. These community groups are offering programs focused on health care, the environment, education, and community renewal in communities across the country.

Volunteer projects such as the Day of Dignity on Aug. 29, sponsored by Islamic Relief USA in Baltimore and 19 other cities, during which Muslim-American volunteers invite volunteers from diverse faith traditions to provide compassionate care to all those in need regardless of color, race or creed.

You can read the entire article here.

The 'Day of Dignity' has already helped hundreds of people in Fort Thompson, Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

There are still 15 more locations that the 'Day of Dignity' will be visiting.

To read more about the 'Day of Dignity' and for a full listing of events, click here.

Baltimore 'Day of Dignity' 2009 Helps Over 1,000 People

Islamic Relief USA staff member, Zeyad Maasarani, relates his experience at the Baltimore Day of Dignity this past weekend.

“I’m down on luck,” Frances, a 50-year-old homeless woman, told me in front of Baltimore City Hall, as she wiped tears from her face.

I was with a caravan of volunteers that had been driving around downtown Baltimore, searching for clusters of homeless individuals so we can serve them some fried chicken and french fries. We saw a group in front of City Hall and pulled over, setting up a table for food, and passing aid parcels filled with items we figured they’d need, like towels, blankets and basic hygiene items.

More than 1,000 locals were already receiving a hot meal and the aid parcels, in addition to health screenings, financial and employment advice among other services in front of Masjid Ul-Haqq across town, but we wanted to bring the ‘Day of Dignity’ to those who couldn’t make it.

Frances saw us and ran over. With the smell of freshly fried chicken bombarding my nostrils, I watched her collect her aid, in addition to some feminine hygiene items. She was shocked to see what we were doing and let the tears flow as she thanked us.

“Thank you,” she kept on saying, wiping her tears away with her new towel. “You really did help me.”

I stared back in awe, not sure how a hot meal and a bag with some things could make her so emotional.

“I’m serious,” she kept saying. “I’m not just saying that.”

I took my camera out and started recording for our donors to see, but I don’t need the video to remember the look on her face. I will never forget the gratitude she showed, but I felt like we traded places; like it was a reversal of roles, for just a second.

Picture this: Hundreds of homeless and underserved Baltimoreans enjoying a hot meal with smiles on their faces and stories to share, while privileged people like me and you observe the daylong Ramadan fast, starving and thirsty, looking on.

It was a beautiful thing.

I asked one of the beneficiaries, “What are we doing wrong, can we do anything else for you?”

“Y'all are doing everything right and nothing wrong!” he replied. “We greatly appreciate it!” he said. But I knew he wasn’t praising me: this wouldn’t be possible without our donors and volunteers.

Another man told me that without Islamic Relief he would not have survived the previous winter.

“I still have the blanket I got from last year’s event,” he told me. The fact that these
people remember and look forward to this ‘Day of Dignity,’ which is only one day of the year, made me feel like we’re making a difference. But it also made me sad.

We shouldn’t be doing this once a year, or just once a month. These are people suffering just down the street from our mosques and homes. We should have reached out to them everyday.

The ‘Day of Dignity’ changed my life and my attitude towards poverty, and it might do the same for you.

Day of Dignity 2009- NBC Chicago Covers Day of Dignity Event

Chicago Muslims Begin Ramadan With Day of Service
Updated 12:15 PM CDT, Sun, Aug 23, 2009

Chicago Muslims joined others around the world in observing the holy month of Ramadan, which began Saturday.
Muslims at the Iman Center on West 63rd Street spent the first day of observance giving free health screenings and hosting a back-to-school kickoff for neighborhood kids.
While Ramadan is known as a period of fasting and spiritual self reflection, it's also a time of service and compassion.
For more information, check out the Muslim Community Center or ChicagoMuslims.com.

Day of Dignity 2009- Helping Chicago's Working Poor

Domestic Programs Coordinator, Karim Amin, recaps the 'Day of Dignity' Chicago event:

Alhamdulilah (All praise be to God), 'Day of Dignity' Chicago was definitely a great way to open up Ramadan. A collaboration between Islamic Relief USA and IMAN, the Inner-city Muslim Action Network, the event provided those who attended with school supplies, toiletries, hygiene kits, and even had a small farmer’s market with a basketball court and a jumper for the kids.

Primarily a Latino and African-American neighborhood, many of the people living in South Chicago are unemployed and live below the poverty line. Many are the working poor: hard working people with honest jobs, but when one thing goes wrong, or an emergency happens, everything gets messed up.

One gentlemen who came to get supplies for his family told me he was a construction worker who hurt his leg and since then has had no way of earning a living. Recently, there was a fire at his home and he and his family lost a lot of their belongings.

He was a man that was concerned for his family; all he wanted were sheets, blankets and hygiene kits to cover the needs of his children.

This really impacted me, because this gentleman worked hard to make an honest living but because of just one or two incidents, he couldn’t provide for his family anymore. It felt good to give him some basic items for the day. Even though they may not last long, at least we helped for that day.

Chicago is also an area with a lot of gang influence and violence. The local 'Day of Dignity' coordinator, Tony Salam, runs a program where he helps former incarcerated individuals get back into the community. Some of the men and women we worked with to put this event on were formerly part of those communities, but through this program they’re making a change and giving back and that was an excellent thing to see.

All of the volunteers worked very hard and Rami Nashashibi was an excellent host. Alhamdulilah, we fed over 600 people.

I wish we could have done more. But Alhamdulilah (All praise be to God), but working with organizations like IMAN and Islamic Relief USA we can use 'Day of Dignity' as a launching pad for more sustainable efforts in the south side of Chicago.

Day of Dignity 2009- How to Help

About Day of Dignity 2009

'Day of Dignity' Expands to Help More People in More Cities
Volunteers across the country are teaming with Islamic Relief USA in the annual 'Day of Dignity' effort to serve thousands of homeless and underserved people in 19 cities.

After eight years of organizing the event only during the month of Ramadan, Islamic Relief USA lengthened the 'Day of Dignity' effort to ten weekends and expanded to 19 cities. The event began August 15 and will run until December 6.

Providing beneficiaries with food, clothing, blankets, medical care, first aid, and other social services, Islamic Relief USA staff and volunteers will offer assistance to all who attend, regardless of their backgrounds.

"These people treated me with dignity, and that's all I can ask for," Sandra Carpenter, one of the 20,000 people who benefitted from last year's 'Day of Dignity,' told the Seattle Times. She said she had been sleeping on a mat in a homeless shelter for over a month, so the clothing and healthcare she received from Islamic Relief USA were very helpful.

"I may be down on my luck, but I am still a human being. It's sort of nice to be treated like one," she said.

In the Islamic tradition, Ramadan is the month of spirituality, self-reflection, service, and compassion, but is perhaps most known for its daylong fasts where Muslims abstain from food, water and marital relations from dawn till dusk. Many of the volunteers who will be helping Islamic Relief USA are observant Muslims who fast the month of Ramadan, which began on August 22.

"Ramadan helps us feel the hunger and thirst that 'Day of Dignity' beneficiaries feel," Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin said. "It's a feeling we can barely deal with for one month, but they have to feel it year-round. That's why it's so important we help them this Ramadan."

With a team of staff, local coordinators and volunteers dedicated to the cause, Amin is optimistic about this year's event.

"Thanks to popular support, we were able to expand and we hope to help more people than ever," he added. Last year, Islamic Relief USA held the 'Day of Dignity' in 18 cities, helping about 20,000 people.

The 2009 'Day of Dignity' will take place on the following dates, in these cities:
Aug. 15 Fort Thompson, SD
Aug. 22 Chicago, IL
Aug. 29 Baltimore, MD
Aug. 30 Philadelphia, PA
Sept. 5 Washington, D.C.; Dallas, TX; Newark, NJ
Sept. 6 Atlanta, GA
Sept. 12 Detroit, MI; Kalamazoo, MI
Sept. 13 Boston, MA
Sept. 19 Portland, OR
Sept. 26 Elizabeth, NJ
Sept. 27 Irvington, NJ
Oct. 3 Brooklyn, NY
Oct. 4 Manhattan, NY
Nov. 21 Seattle, WA
Dec. 5 Phoenix, AZ
Dec. 6 Las Vegas, NV

For more information please contact Domestic Programs Coordinator, Karim Amin at karim@IslamicReliefUSA.org.

Day of Dignity 2009- The Impact of Giving

A native boy picks his prize for winning carnival games during Day of Dignity South Dakota.

Islamic Relief USA staff member Melissa Barreto recently returned from the first 'Day of Dignity' event which was held at the Crow Creek Native American reservation in South Dakota on August 15. She could not forget her experience and reflected on the plane ride back. Below are some excerpts from her journal.

In Native American culture, giving is a cherished and respected custom. And I don’t mean giving with the expectation of a profit. I mean giving in the pure sense, giving without want for something in return.

It’s this kind of pure giving that forms the foundation of loving and lasting relationships.

This relationship is one that Islamic Relief USA has been able to build with the native community of South Dakota through the 'Day of Dignity' distributions.

Assistant Coordinator Anisah David told me about her experience the first year Islamic Relief USA brought Day of Dignity to Ft. Thompson.

“People were really surprised that we were just giving things away without asking for anything in return or trying to sell them anything,” she said. “Apparently, no one had ever done that before, and we were really surprised by that.”

As the 'Day of Dignity' events continued at Ft. Thompson, more and more residents became curious about Islamic Relief USA’s work and about the Muslims who volunteered their time to help.

This year, over 500 reservation residents attended the event and received towels,
washcloths, hygiene kits, clothing, and enjoyed carnival games with their
children.

“This is our first time to this event, it’s really nice and I appreciate it very much,” one woman told me. “I didn’t know that your people knew about us.”

She didn’t know that my people, Muslim people, knew about her. Her words struck me so deep that I couldn’t even verbalize a response to her at the time we were talking. Then she went one step further and struck me again by saying, “It’s good to make new relatives.”

SubhanAllah (Glory be to God)! This woman, who just a moment before was surprised I even knew of her existence, had just included me, and Muslims at large, as a part of her very own family.

This is the impact that Day of Dignity has. This is the impact of giving.

DayofDignity South Dakota Volunteers Honored During Pow Wow

Children's Activities at Day of Dignity Ft. Thompson, South Dakota

DoD09 Volunteers at Ft. Thompson, South Dakota

Joset Irving on the Impact of Change on Reservation Youth

Teen Suicide Packs on the Reservation

History of Day of Dignity at Crow Creek Reservation in Ft. Thompson, South Dakota

There’s only five days left until the Day of Dignity tour begins.

August 15 will mark the first stop in Ft. Thompson, South Dakota where a large majority of the residents are Native Americans living in poverty.

Unemployment, overcrowding, and lack of plumbing all contribute to the hardships faced by Ft. Thompson families. I mention this not to exploit their situations, but to give a glimpse of the America that not many see, hear or even think about, the America that the Day of Dignity events aim to serve.

By offering high-quality services such as health check-ups, food and clothing distributions, and toys for children, Day of Dignity staff and volunteers are able to help ease the burden of families in poverty.

But the events are much more than just handing out goods. They’re about the smiles and sincerity, the hugs and the handshakes, the talks and the tears, and most of all they’re about the love that comes with knowing that no matter their situation, every person deserves to be treated with dignity.