Gallery: A Look Back at Day of Dignity in 2010

2010's Day of Dignity season was full of memorable moments, lives touched, and dignity given and received. For those who volunteered to the beneficiaries who came for health screenings, school supplies, clothing, and hot meals, the Day of Dignity events was an important model of how important it is to give dignity to those who need help. Thanks to all who turned out.

'Day of Dignity' Serves Impoverished in New York City's Brooklyn and Manhattan

New York, New York
Karim Amin

Every time I drive past Exit 9 on the New Jersey turnpike, I feel a shot of energy. The air, traffic and scenery transforms: The autumn-colored trees and rest stops that line the highway are replaced by sprawling buildings and billboards. My mindset changes to a New York state of mind. But underneath all the bright lights of Broadway and the massive bridges that connect this metropolis are the often unheard stories of people in need.

This is the sixth year that Islamic Relief USA hosted Day of Dignity in New York. The weekend of events kicked off in Brooklyn at Masjid Al-Taqwa, the home of Imam Siraj Wahaj. Dozens of volunteers from all over the city converged on this historic mosque to serve the community. The line wrapped around the building. Recipients received basic health check-ups, clothing and food.

Each beneficiary was greeted at the end of the line with a warm meal and drink. Toward the end of the event, Imam Siraj Wahaj stopped by his mosque and provided a boost of energy to the volunteers who had worked so hard to organize this event.

The next day started with the same energy as the first. Recipients lined up outside of the Saint Francis Xavier Church in midtown Manhattan. As some of the city’s homeless and working poor entered the building, they were welcomed with goods and meals.

“This is a great example of interfaith work,” said a St. Xavier staff member. “There are Muslims organizing an event at a Catholic church, with donations (book bags and school kits) from the Mormon church with Jewish volunteers.”

That is the beauty of Day of Dignity. It marries dignity with giving and brings together diverse groups for a common cause — to simply help those who need it, no matter where they are from or where they are going.


--Karim Amin is IR USA's Day of Dignity and domestic programs coordinator
photo: Bilal Aslam

Day of Dignity in Baltimore: 'Today, You Made Me Feel Like a Somebody'

A sign on the side of the road spoke the truth of the day: “You respect me, I’ll respect you.” It was painted in white on a piece of scrap lumber, leaning up against a fence. Across the street were boarded-up row houses, a few occupied by people. Though the day was bright and a breeze was blowing, the mood in that battered part of Baltimore was subdued.

But as I neared Masjid ul-Haqq, where Islamic Relief USA’s Day of Dignity event was held on Saturday over the Labor Day weekend, the atmosphere changed to one of love, respect and friendship. A long table in front of the mosque held trays of food – spaghetti, garlic bread, fried chicken, and other things. People lined up for meals dished out by Day of Dignity volunteers and then received bags full of items to help them survive the winter.

"It’s very good, very useful stuff," said Robert Wilson, one of the beneficiaries of event. “Islamic Relief, they treat me with respect.”

Nearly 800 people came out for the event, receiving food, socks, soap, underwear, clothing, notebooks, pencils, and other school supplies. Many, clutching their bags, headed over to the picnic tables nearby to eat the food they had received.

"Anytime I don’t have to cook for all these kids, it’s a good day," said Geraldine Gibson, who had come to Masjid al-Haqq with her children – including a one-month-old baby -- after hearing about Day of Dignity from her neighbors. “Everyone’s so friendly here,” she said.”

“I love the spaghetti and garlic bread,” added her daughter, Briana Garrison. It was her second year at the event. “The school supplies are the best,” she said. “Islamic Relief knows the things we really need. This stuff can get so expensive!”

The purpose of the event, as explained to me by Masjid ul-Haqq’s Imam and Baltimore Day of Dignity Coordinator Hassan Amin, is to lend a hand to those who need it most while giving them respect and dignity, and that was evident in every fiber of every volunteer and every beneficiary who were there giving and receiving.

“People don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” Amin said. “Being here, receiving food and useful items – it gives them a sense of dignity, a sense of worth. We don’t ask questions. This is a mandate upon us as Muslims that we have to do this.”

Baltimore’s Day of Dignity was an initiative from Islamic Relief USA. Groups like ICNA Relief USA, Women Accepting Responsibility, Total Health Care, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and Baltimore City Health Department also partnered with IR USA at the event. They had tables with backpacks and other goods and pamphlets offering information about counseling, health care, child care, and more for those in need.

As the day wore on and volunteers saw that there were extra bags of goods and food still left, Islamic Relief USA’s Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin (son of Hassan Amin) loaded up a van , drove to other local areas frequented by homeless people and passed out food, hygiene kits and other items.

It touched me to see their energy. It wasn’t enough to provide goods and food to the people who came to the mosque. They went out into the city, found people who couldn’t come to the event and took the event to them.

I made a mental note to remember the energy and drive of the Amins and the volunteers, most of who were fasting, anytime I felt too tired to help someone.

Ronald Todd, another beneficiary at the event, spent time talking with volunteers, getting his blood pressure checked and circling all the tables of information and goods.

“I thank God for Islamic Relief,” Todd told me. “I thank the lord that he has blessed you all to be able to get here and listen and help the unfortunate ones.
“This means a lot to me,” Todd said.

“To the more fortunate ones, the ones who have money, the ones who don’t know what it is like not to know where your next paycheck is coming from – to them I am a nobody. But today, you made me feel like a somebody.”

Learn more about Day of Dignity and its history here. To donate, please click here.

-- Dilshad D. Ali

Day of Dignity 2010: Scenes from Baltimore

In Flint, Michigan, Dignity is Served

As I flew over Lake Michigan I couldn’t help but notice the bright lights along Chicago’s Gold coast. Only the stars were brighter than the lights from the high rises that studded the Chicago Skyline. Then our plane crossed over Lake Michigan, and Chicago’s bright lights were replaced with the sparse lighting of Western Michigan. We inched closer and closer to the ground of Flint, Michigan, and everything became noticeably darker.

The factories that once pumped out the cars and other machinery were shut down. The neighborhoods that housed these great leaders of the auto industry were now empty. Those left behind after the auto plants closed largely remain unemployed, which has increased poverty and homelessness in Flint.

I rode through the streets of Flint with Br. Saleem Khalid, Islamic Relief USA’s Domestic Programs Manager. We saw block after city block littered with closed businesses and factories. It was a grim scene. But when we arrived at the Flint Housing Committee, we were greeted with a pleasant smile from one of the many volunteers at the Day of Dignity site.

We came around the corner of the parking lot and saw throngs of people waiting in the sun to receive the goods and medical screenings that would be provided by the Day of Dignity volunteers. Bus loads of people picked up from different parts of Flint flooded the parking lot of the housing commission. “We have a billboard downtown,” said Terrence Clark of the Flint Housing Commission, “People know about this event. They are going to come.”

Infants, children, adults, and even elderly people awaited their turn to receive their bags, which included hygiene kits, gently-used clothing, new school kits, and toys. As they were awaiting their goods, some of the children giggled and laughed in the moon bounce. And at the end of the line they received Subway sandwiches and water. The beneficiaries walked away with smiles on their faces and bags filled with goods.

The volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the day to serve everyone with dignity. This event was led by the Flint Muslim Youth Group and organized by Ghada Alkiek, a recent high school graduate. She led her young crew of volunteers with energy and enthusiasm. And despite the fact that most of the volunteers were fasting, it seemed that the longer the day got the harder they worked. By the end of the day, 700 people had been served with dignity.

As the day wrapped the volunteers asked eagerly what my impression of the event was. All I could say about the event was “Alhamdulillah, this event was very good.” If these young volunteers are the future of Islamic Relief USA, then we have a bright future ahead of us.

-- Karim Amin, National Day of Dignity Coordinator

Day of Dignity 2010: Dallas

Day of Dignity in Dallas: Helping People Survive Another Day

The sun was blazing. But that didn't stop the hundreds of underserved and vulnerable people in Dallas from lining up hours before the gates opened at Masjid al-Islam. Many of them were hot, hungry and thirsty.

Starting from 8 a.m., scores of volunteers began rushing around, readying hot plates, carefully arranging distribution stations, and laying out heaps of clothing in hopes of helping the less fortunate in their neighborhood.

With Ramadan in full swing, many of the volunteers were observing the daylong Ramadan fast and the scorching heat was audibly parching their throats.

It was Islamic Relief USA's Day of Dignity – a day characterized by love, compassion and sacrifice.

For people in need, the warm meals, fresh fruit, socks, shirts, caps, hygiene kits, and all the other items available for distribution at the Day of Dignity are a beacon of hope. One less worry for mind plagued with the most basic of stress: "Will I survive another day?"

"Every day is a challenge," 45-year-old Glenn Black told me as he munched on some rice and beef provided at the event. He balanced an Islamic Relief tote bag full of clothes between his knees. "I need these clothes because it's getting close to wintertime," he said. His skin was thick and calloused, probably from sleeping in the street.

Another beneficiary told me just how much events like the Day of Dignity impact his community. "It helps out the neighborhood a lot," Alfred Burney told me, “Especially the kids.”

The 54-year-old was impressed that Muslims were spearheading the cause. “I’m surprised that it’s Islamic Relief,” he said.

Dennye Mills, a 55-year-old homeless widow, was there for the fresh fruit because it was easier to eat than the food she was used to receiving at food banks. "God bless Islamic Relief," she said between bites.

"The need here is huge," said Islamic Relief USA’s Domestic Programs Coordinator, Karim Amin. Amin is a strong supporter of helping fellow Americans in need. "Islamic Relief USA organizes the Day of Dignity because you must help your neighbors first before you help people afar," he said.

To learn more or to donate to Day of Dignity, click here.

-- Zeyad Maasarani

ABC News Report from Day of Dignity, Flint

Day of Dignity 2010: Philadelphia Slideshow

Home-Cooked Meals and More for Atlanta's Homeless and Needy at 'Day of Dignity'

A bright sun with blue skies and soft clouds was the backdrop throughout last Sunday as we visited sites in Atlanta, Georgia where Day of Dignity events took place. People gathered from all over Metro Atlanta looking to be of service on this day, dubbed the 'Day of Dignity' by Islamic Relief USA. Islamic Relief USA and Share Atlanta, supported by four local organizations, and a host of volunteers offered assistance to all who attended. This Day of Dignity would be unique in that events would take place at three different sites in Atlanta and one additional site in Clarkston.

The first location that we visited was teeming with activity by the time we arrived. People had already lined up and were receiving medical screenings and hot meals. Screenings were being done by a group of young medical professionals who chatted amicably with individuals who waited patiently for their turn at medical attention.

Volunteers directed peoples’ attention to another line where hot home-cooked meals were being dispensed. Many people took their food and, moving just out of the way of foot-traffic, sat on the sidewalk and took their time eating what they had received.

As all of this took place, haircuts were being given to those who wanted to spruce up their appearance. People kept coming to the area where the event was being staged, on Broad Street, just minutes away from the Georgia Dome. This was a rare opportunity for people to receive meals, free haircuts, personal items and medical attention, at no cost to them, all in the same place.

Not far away, a site had been established where a completely different population of people was receiving similar care and treatment. Recipients showed their appreciation with a nod of the head, a smile, and a thank you or just by the way they savored the meals which they had received. The third site had completed their work by the time we arrived, but many people who had benefited from the distribution still lingered. They were consuming their food, looking through the items they had received, all the while attempting to find shade from a sun whose heat was growing in intensity.

We arrived at the last location, Clarkston, before the event was scheduled to start. From an initial gathering of 4, at least 75 volunteers, quickly assembled and equally as fast, transformed a small area of a large apartment complex into the staging area for what was to be the day’s last Day of Dignity event. In apt anticipation of what was to take place, children, parents and those without children, but obviously in need, formed a cheerful, talkative, yet orderly line ready to receive whatever was being provided. Bags were filled with school supplies, hygiene kits, towels and other items which had been generously donated. Warm meals were provided and medical screenings where available to those who wanted to take advantage of their offering.
Day of Dignity activities are intended to provide struggling Americans with basic services like medical screenings, in addition to hot meals and aid parcels filled with blankets, clothing, hygiene kits, and other necessities. The program is designed to encourage service to others.

Islamic Relief USA is especially grateful to the all of the organizations who support Day of Dignity activities across the country and to the host of volunteers who constitute the workforce who carry out the actual activities from city to city. We know that for many, this event is a part of greater service that those volunteers do throughout the year. Please consider replicating this event in your locality.

--Saleem Khalid, Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Manager

Philadelphia Homeless and Needy Served Relief, with Dignity

The young veiled woman handed a Day of Dignity flyer to the homeless man standing in front of her. He looked down at the flyer and noticed the event location. “I used to live right by there,” he said. “I lived on the church steps at 21st and Chestnut.” Monika Nagpal was devastated to hear this, “because he referred to his home as a set of steps,” she said. Nagpal tirelessly served as coordinator of Islamic Relief USA’s Day of Dignity in Philadelphia this past Sunday.

Outside the gated doors of First Unitarian Church, in the heart of the city, hundreds of homeless and impoverished people filed into the church pews and stood in a line running outside and around the block to receive bags, ponchos, hygiene items, blankets, clothing, toiletries, medical, dental and vision screenings and food, all served by over 100 volunteers with warm smiles and kind greetings. Many volunteers were devout Muslims who were also fasting amid the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Philadelphia’s Day of Dignity was a joint collaboration between Islamic Relief USA, the Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Fixing Philly, United Muslim Foundation, Philadelphia Jews for a Just Peace, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and First Unitarian Church.

Shirleen, an elderly aid beneficiary, was seated in one of the church’s pews just before aid distribution began. She talked about people of different faiths coming together to help out the needy in their community: “It’s a good thing,” said Shirleen. “We’re all united as one.”

After eight years of organizing the event only during the month of Ramadan, Islamic Relief USA lengthened the Day of Dignity 2010 effort to 10 weekends last year. This year it has expanded it to 22 cities. This year’s events began on June 19 in South Dakota and the last event will be in December.

With winter just a few short months away in a city that often suffers from brutal weather filled with heavy snow, icy streets and dangerous wind chills, many beneficiaries were thankful for relief aid. “I’m gonna be warm for the winter,” said Gregory, an aid recipient.

Robert, a Vietnam War veteran and aid recipient, offered to help Day of Dignity volunteers move boxes of supplies. “That’s what the military taught me: to help my fellow people,” he said, partaking in the event’s mission of helping others.

After beneficiaries went through the aid line and received health screenings, they were directed outside the building where a food distribution tent was set up serving pizza, beverages, crackers and other food. “This is the first thing I’ve eaten all day,” said one man after taking a bite of his pizza slice. “It sure tastes good,” he said.

“Many of our beneficiaries were so content they didn't want more than what they already had,” said Nagpal. “It's a strong reminder that we, being as privileged as we are, really need to re-evaluate what is really necessary in life and not confuse that with the luxuries we are accustomed to.”

To learn more about Day of Dignity or to find out when it’s coming to a city near
you, click here.

-- Muneeza Tahir

On CNN: Ramadan as a Season of Service and Dignity

The following blog post, written by Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin, was originally posted to CNN's Belief blog on Aug. 11, 2010.

"I didn’t think anyone knew we were out here," said the elder from the Crow Creek reservation as she humbly accepted a bag of food and clothing from me. "But you come back every year."

She is known as "Grandma" on the Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Grandma is one of many Native Americans living in dilapidated conditions as joblessness and poverty continue to plague Crow Creek and many other reservations across the country.Too many reservations that were intended to give the Native Americans their own sovereign land have become outposts full of trailer homes and temporary housing - a place where the original people of the Americas have been sent to and generally ignored.

I had come to the Crow Creek Reservation with Islamic Relief USA’s (IR USA) Day of Dignity, an annual effort dedicated to alleviating poverty to thousands of people across the United States.

As Grandma talked to me about her and her family, I looked into her eyes and imagined all that she has seen - the pain, the neglect, the struggle.

"I am going to bring my grandsons to thank you and welcome you," she said with a warm smile. "We really appreciate you coming here."

I was moved but also humbled to see that a simple bag of groceries and supplies could make such a difference.

"It’s more than that," Grandma explained. Our presence there meant more than the aid and services we were providing–it was, she said, an acknowledgment of our common humanity.

Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit relief and development organization, began Day of Dignity eight years ago as a single event during the holy month of Ramadan. The idea was that since Ramadan is a season characterized by love, compassion and charity, American Muslims could use the day as an opportunity to act on their faith by helping those in need.

Today, Day of Dignity has evolved into an annual grassroots campaign that brings thousands of volunteers from all backgrounds together to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care, and other social services to homeless and underserved people. This year, the campaign’s goal is to serve about 20,000 people with the help of 2000 volunteers in more than 22 cities across the country.

At the Day of Dignity event on the Crow Creek Reservation this past June (the first one this year), Islamic Relief USA volunteers spent hours assembling and distributing aid packages filled with blankets, t-shirts, hygiene products, school supplies and food. Youth volunteers set up games and face painting for children who came to the event and health professionals were on hand to provide screenings.

But beyond the food, clothing and health services, perhaps the most touching exchange was that all day Crow Creek residents came and went, graciously accepting aid packages and stayed around to play games with the volunteers. Some of the elders sat with the volunteers to teach them about Native American language and culture.

One of the organizers of the event, Victor David, an American Muslim and long-time Native American advocate, said beyond assisting others, Day of Dignity’s’ goal is to bring diverse communities together in the spirit of giving.

"When we first came a few years back the people were hesitant first," David said. "Now they look forward to us coming every year."

We left hoping that we made a small a difference, if just for one day.

Islamic Relief USA will be hosting many other Day of Dignity events across the country during the holy month of Ramadan. It is my hope that American Muslims and people of all faiths will come out and join us as we extend beyond the comfort of our homes, mosques, churches, and communities to help those in need.

Almsgiving and helping those in need are major pillars of Islam and the basis of Islamic Relief USA’s work, but it is also the foundation for many other faiths.

As Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Do you love your Creator? Serve your fellow man first."

Slideshow: Day of Dignity 2010 in South Dakota at the Crow Creek Reservation

Day of Dignity in South Dakota: Scenes from Crow Creek Reservation

The kick-off of this year's Day of Dignity campaign was at the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota last week, and it was a sobering, yet satisfying day that we spent there. There is beauty in the land and people of the reservation, but not in the conditions they are living in.

Driving through South Dakota is like driving through time--a time when America was a much simpler place. As I rode through this scenic state, I passed countless farms with grazing cattle and general stores. You could ride for hours and not see a stop sign. For a city guy like myself, this was very different from what I am used too.

Then suddenly the scene changes. The picturesque farms are replaced with trailer homes and temporary housing. Joblessness and poverty plague Crow Creek and many other reservations. Reservations were intended to give the Native Americans their own sovereign land. But instead they have become outposts where the original people of the Americas have been sent to and generally ignored.

As we drove through the reservations, we saw the homes that had been built for the mostly Sioux population. Some of the people live in dilapidated structures. Jobs are scarce and also the opportunities for many Sioux people are limited on the reservation. Despite the difficulties on the reservation the people of Crow Creek are very welcoming.

We wound our way through the reservation up to the parking lot of the community center. From there our Islamic Relief USA volunteers, who had taken the two and a half hour ride from Sioux Falls to Fort Thompson (where the Crow Creek reservation is), hopped out of the bus eager to assist. They quickly unloaded the van and began to stuff the Islamic Relief bags with goods, including food, hygiene kits, blankets, and other basic living supplies. Next to the supply van the volunteers set up a small kid’s carnival equipped with a variety of children’s games and prizes. More than 800 recipients stopped by; enjoying the games and the goods that Islamic Relief and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had donated to this cause.

Members of the community and the tribal council thanked IR USA and its volunteers for their efforts. We left the day hoping that we made a small a difference, if just for one day. Inshallah, I pray that we can do more to assist these people, whose ancestors lay the foundation for this land that we now know as America. Click here to learn more about the Day of Dignity campaign, when it is coming to a city near you, and how you can help out.

--Karim Amin, Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Coordinator

Day of Dignity 2010: Why You Should Volunteer

Day of Dignity 2010: How to Get Involved

Day of Dignity 2010: What is It?

Day of Dignity 2010 is Coming to South Dakota

Day of Dignity 2010 is set to begin with this Saturday’s kick-off effort at a community center at the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota in conjunction with the children’s Pow Wow. Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin will be on hand to facilitate activities there. It’s the eighth year that Islamic Relief USA’s Day of Dignity campaign is taking place as a grassroots effort bringing volunteers together around the country to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care first aid, and other social services to those in need.

Crow Creek is the first of 22 cities where a "Day of Dignity" will occur, and the entire campaign is estimated to draw more than 2,000 volunteers who in turn will serve nearly 20,000 homeless and people in need throughout the country.

"Every year more and more local communities and volunteers join this national movement to assist their neighbors in need," said Amin. 'The Day of Dignity event sites are very diverse and stretch from the busy streets of Brooklyn, New York to the wide plains of the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota."

Please visit the Day of Dignity website for more information on how to help at Crow Creek or at other cities across the nation. For the Crow Creek location, please contact local event coordinator Victor David at broimannsfsd@yahoo.com for more information. To learn more about Islamic Relief USA, click here.

Day of Dignity 2010: Special Message from Karim Amin

It is that time of the year again! We are gearing up for Day of Dignity 2010. I first joined the Islamic Relief USA family in 2006 as a volunteer. Since then I have seen the growth of the Day of Dignity effort from serving a handful of cities to more than 22 cities nationwide this year. The spread of this event is exciting. Every year more and more local communities and volunteers join this national movement to assist their neighbors in need. The Day of Dignity event sites are very diverse and stretch from the busy streets of Brooklyn, New York to the wide plains of the Crow Creek Reservation in South Dakota.

Even though I am excited that people want to volunteer to help those in need, I want everyone to keep in mind that we must find a solution to reduce poverty. This is a large task. Currently I am working with a national interfaith group called Fighting Poverty with Faith, whose goal is to reduce the rate of poverty in the U.S. in half by 2020. When we meet, we talk a lot about the different factors that contribute to poverty.

We need many "streams" of assistance to reduce poverty, and Day of Dignity is one of those streams. Throughout the year we all must find different ways to take the idea of dignity for others and incorporate it in our daily lives. Everything from recycling a bottle to mentoring contributes to reducing poverty. Recycling helps to reduce the amount of trash that pile up in landfills that often are in the poorest areas around the world. Mentoring can help to guide a young man/woman to avoid decisions that lead to poverty.

Poverty isn't just about money, it is about a mindset. If we choose to expect that some people "have" to be poor and not a have access to quality livelihood, the problem will continue. But if we work together to uplift each other, we can have a Day of Dignity 365 days a year.

--Karim Amin, Domestic Programs Coordinator for IR USA

Learn About Day of Dignity 2010

Day of Dignity 2010 Expands to Help More People in More Cities

Volunteers across the country are teaming up with Islamic Relief USA in the annual Day of Dignity effort to serve thousands of homeless and underserved people in 22 cities.

After eight years of organizing the event only during the month of Ramadan, Islamic Relief USA lengthened the Day of Dignity 2010 effort to 10 weekends and expanded it to 21 cities. This year the event begins on June 19 in South Dakota and the last event will be in December.

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

"Day of Dignity is a great reminder to all of everyone, especially the youth, about the struggle of our neighbors," said Seyed Mowlana, veteran Washington, D.C. coordinator. "We serve people who are just like us--the only difference is that they may not have a proper roof over their heads."

In the Islamic tradition, Ramadan is the month of spirituality, self-reflection, service, and compassion, but is perhaps most known for its day-long fasts, with Muslims abstaining from food, water and marital relations from dawn until dusk. Many of the volunteers who will be helping IR USA are observant Muslims who fast the month of Ramadan, which begins inshallah on August 11.

"Ramadan helps us feel the hunger and thirst that Day of Dignity beneficiaries feel," Islamic Relief USA Domestic Programs Coordinator Karim Amin said. "Ramadan also is a month of giving. One of the reasons we decided to host Day of Dignity events beyond Ramadan was to spread the spirit of giving throughout the year."

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

"When I participated as a volunteer at my first Day of Dignity event several years ago, there were less than a dozen cities involved" he said. "Now Day of Dignity has grown because of the dedication and hard work of thousands of Islamic Relief volunteers and partner organizations."

To learn more about Day of Dignity 2010 and how you can get involved, visit the website for dates, cities, and blog posts specific to this effort.

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