Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), based in Alexandria, Virginia, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) humanitarian agency and member of the Islamic Relief Worldwide group of organizations. IRUSA was founded in California in 1993. In addition to international relief and development initiatives, Islamic Relief USA also sponsors and funds domestic projects ranging from emergency disaster responses to assisting the American homeless population and supporting those who cannot afford basic healthcare.

Activities

IRUSA projects inside the United States include the annual Day of Dignity, when volunteers distribute food, medical care, hygiene kits, blankets, clothing and more to homeless and low-income people across the U.S.[1][2]

In 2005, IRUSA aided the victims of Hurricane Katrina by providing over $2 million in assistance and sending field workers to distribute aid and assess the needs of the victims.[3] Partnering with IRUSA for the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake that struck Indonesia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated $1.6 million worth of emergency supplies.[4][5] Islamic Relief USA and Equal Exchange launched The Islamic Relief USA Fair Trade Project in October 2009.[6]

After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, IRUSA staff and volunteers worked at shelters in New Jersey to house displaced residents.[7] In 2014, IRUSA's disaster response team assisted Alabama residents affected by tornadoes.[8] In 2015, IRUSA gave $50,000 to assist Detroit residents whose water had been turned off due to difficulty paying their bills.[9] Recent international emergency projects include assisting displaced Syrians in Syria and neighboring countries, and assisting refugees arriving in Greece in 2015.[10] In 2016, IRUSA's Disaster Response Team responded to emergencies in the United States including the Flint water crisis,[11][12] Louisiana flooding,[13] and Hurricane Matthew in North Carolina.[14][15] In 2017, IRUSA assisted in disasters including Hurricane Harvey[16][17] and the Las Vegas shooting[18] and continued assisting Hurricane Matthew survivors by repairing homes.[19] In 2018, IRUSA announced a partnership with U.S.-based Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) to provide humanitarian aid to refugees in Greece.[20][21]

Recent non-emergency projects IRUSA have implemented or supported in the U.S. include after-school meal programs, a prison re-entry program, food aid on American Indian reservations, and assistance for victims of domestic violence.[22] In 2016, IRUSA supported a United Way program assisting homeless families with children in Roanoke, Virginia. [23][24] In 2017, IRUSA provided food for schoolchildren during the summer in eight cities nationwide in partnership with the USDA.[25] IRUSA provides food, clothes, blankets and other items along with health-care services on its annual Day of Dignity events across the country[26][27][28] and distributes food and toiletries to homeless and low-income Americans on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.[29][30] In 2019, Islamic relief supported flood affected communities in Bahamas, Mali, Sudan, India, and Niger. In 2020, IRUSA responded the COVID-19 crises by assisting more than 5 million beneficiaries domestically and internationally.

Awards

In 2019, IRUSA was named a Top-Rated Nonprofit by Great Nonprofits[31] and was awarded four out of four stars by Charity Navigator.[32]

References

  1. ↑ "NBC 3 News: Faiths unite for Day of Dignity to help homeless".
  2. ↑ "Obama Administration To Highlight Interfaith Volunteerism". The Washington Post. 2009-08-31. Archived from the original on 2009-09-03. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  3. ↑ "Islamic Relief USA Written Statement U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions" (PDF). Islamic Relief USA. 2006-03-07. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  4. ↑ "LDS, Islamic Leaders Share Relief Efforts". Mormons Serving Worldwide. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  5. ↑ "Muslims Put Faith Into Action For Ramadan". The Christian Science Monitor. 2006-10-19. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  6. ↑ "Equal Exchange Announces its 11th Interfaith Partnership: Islamic Relief USA". The Corporate Social Responsibility Wire. 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
  7. ↑ "Huffington Post: After Hurricane Sandy, Chaplains And Faith-Based Organizations Offer Aid And Tend To Spiritual Needs".
  8. ↑ "Huffington Post: Religious Relief For Southern Disasters".
  9. ↑ "Huffington Post: Muslim Groups Give $100,000 To Help Detroiters Without Water, Say It's 'Part Of Our Faith To Help'".
  10. ↑ "PRI: From one refugee to another: 'study, get educated — then come help the people'".
  11. ↑ "Huffington Post: "American Muslims Hand Delivering Fresh Water to Residents of Flint"".
  12. ↑ "PRI: From Lesbos to Flint: An Islamic Relief Group Helps the Poor Get Safe Water".
  13. ↑ "While Trump was spreading Islamophobia after Brussels, American Muslims were helping people hit by floods". The Independent. 2016-03-23. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  14. ↑ "Their first goal in rural N.C. was disaster relief. The other: Being the face of Islam in a red state". Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  15. ↑ "Islamic relief group helps North Carolina recover from Hurricane Matthew". newsobserver. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  16. ↑ "In the South, a new helping hand: Muslim disaster relief teams". The Christian Century. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  17. ↑ Johri, Subia. "Hurricane Harvey-Local Muslim aid worker joins effort". Highland Community News. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  18. ↑ "Islamic Relief Donates Thousands For Shooting Victims". 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  19. ↑ "Two groups help community rebuild year after Hurricane Matthew". Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  20. ↑ "Jewish and Muslim groups join to help refugees in Greece". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  21. ↑ "HIAS and Islamic Relief USA Partner to Bring Legal Protection to Refugees in Greece". HIAS. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  22. ↑ Gollihue, Krystin. "Islamic Relief USA: Doing Good Through Diversity". Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  23. ↑ Anchor, Jenna Zibton-Virginia Today (2016-10-19). "Islamic Relief USA donates $40,000 to RYSE program". WSLS. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  24. ↑ Holmes, Paris (October 20, 2016). "United Way receives $40K to help homeless kids in the Roanoke Valley". virginiafirst.com. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Free Meals For Kids At Las Vegas' Al Maun Center". Las Vegas, NV Patch. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  26. ↑ "Muslim Community's Day of Dignity Provides Supplies to Seattle's Unsheltered". South Seattle Emerald. 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  27. ↑ Ocasio, Bianca Padró. "Arab-Americans in Orlando come together for Day of Dignity". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  28. ↑ Weisberg, Lori. "Homeless, immigrants treated to 'Day of Dignity' in City Heights". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  29. ↑ Campbell, Colin. "Muslim volunteer groups hand out food, toiletries at Martin Luther King Day of Service charity event". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  30. ↑ Connelly, Christopher. "On An MLK Day Of Service, Muslims Reach Out To Homeless Folks As Storm Bears Down". Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  31. ↑ "Great Nonprofits".
  32. ↑ "Charity Navigator".
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