Who is he that Will Lend to Allah a Goodly Loan?

Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions), and unto Him you shall return.  
 

May has been a busy month here at ICNA Relief. We’ve been making refugee families feel more at home through donations of furniture, food and deliveries of our Apartment Kits. All praise be to Allah and we thank our donors for their consistent generosity.  To donate furniture, cars or kitchen kits, email chicago@icnarelief.org. More photos atwww.facebook.com/icnareliefchicago

Mommy League Seeking Helpers for Northside Chicago Family

As part of our Mommy League services, we connect mothers of newborns to community members looking to lend a hand. Please help sister Ruqaya as she manages with her third baby, via c-section and no family in the country. She has twins who are five-years old and her husband has been able to take only one week off from work.

Sign up online to help her through the end of  June by bringing meals, helping watch the twins, or by picking her up some groceries. The family has no food allergens. You can also sponsor a meal and services for a day if you can not do it personally.  For 30$, we will deliver a meal on your behalf. Please contact sammer.zehra@gmail.com or text her6304154806,  for any questions!

If you can stay for an hour or so after you drop off the meal, this will give sister Ruqaya some time to rest. Please give a time you will be available if you choose to do that. If not, leave the Babysitting option blank for someone else. Sign up here!

Would You Adopt a Parent

Sixty-year-old sister Brenda Trinkle, a convert, found herself homeless and is the newest resident in our transitional home in Glendale Heights. Since Sr. Brenda is a lupus patient, and also has diabetes and arthritis, case management involves helping her apply for medicaid, organizing rides via paratransit and, until that comes through, driving her to doctor visits, among other things, said Ms. Farah Ahmed, ICNA Relief staffer with the Muslim Family Services department. “We are looking for volunteers who will help us with this."

“As you can see the need for a transitional home that houses at least 16 sisters is very real,” said Dr. Saima Azfar, Director, ICNA Relief Chicago. “We get cases like these so often. We need your zakat so our sisters can have a life free of fear and can live with respect and dignity.” ICNA Relief intends to, inshaAllah, raise approximately $500,000 to buy a building unit, with 3-4 apartments, so that sisters like Brenda aren’t left to fend for themselves. The organization currently has $140,000.

To see how you can help, contact chicago@icnarelief.org, with Sr. Brenda or Transitional Housing in the subject line. Donate towards Transitional Housing at www.icnarelief.org

Special Offer for ICNA Relief Supporters

ICNA Relief and American Heart Association Team Up

1 IN 3 WOMEN DIE OF HEART DISEASE OR STROKE, 
BUT 80% OF CARDIAC EVENTS CAN BE PREVENTED. 

ICNA Relief and American Heart Association teamed up to make sure under-served women get assistance. Together, they organized transportation to take women in need to the Community Expo. The event was open to all ! 

Sponsor 1000 Food Boxes for our Ramadan Food Drive

We welcome summer schools, community and youth groups and masjids interested in  organizing a drive to support us. Donate online - choose Hunger Prevention at www.icnarelief.org

Call for Volunteers

Help Us Pack 300+ Ramadan Food Boxes on MAY 14 & 15

We have two time slots: 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Distribution: May 21,at ICNA Dawah Center, Rogers Park.
Please also indicate your availability to distribute the food.

1781 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights. To volunteer register at http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers. Donations of dates, rice, sugar, oil, lentils, pasta, pasta sauce, tea and coffee are also welcome. Questions? Email chicago@icnarelief.org.

Furniture Donations Turn Bare Apartments into Homes

We were able to serve three families thanks to your donations of furniture! Our entire pickup and delivery crew comprises volunteers. To share the blessings and barakah as a donor, or by lending your muscles, please contact chicago@icnarelief.org. Add Furniture in the subject line.

Do Good, Feel Good with ICNA Relief

On Sunday May 1, approximately 40 ISNS members attended the ICNA Relief presentation on its services. Rather than reinvent social services, ISNS members were invited to volunteer with the organization's flagship programs, including as mentors for refugees, and by hosting campaigns to support ICNA Relief's upcoming drives. This included its Women's Transitional Home, two Food Pantries that serve up to 350 families a month, the upcoming Ramadan Food Drive, its Refugee Empowerment Services, Car Donation Program and more. ICNA Relief's services provide a hand to those in need, irrespective of faith and race. Reflective of Faith in Action, and as representatives of Muslims in America, ICNA Relief's services also serve to challenge the misrepresentations and misconceptions that some may have about Islam. 

The presenters, Br. Naveed Ali Khan and Sr. Naazish YarKhan, outlined ICNA Relief's accomplishments and laid out plans for 2016. ICNA Relief attributes as much 70% of its success to its volunteers.

Illinois Budget Cuts Slash Food Stamps

On April 23rd, praise be to God, we at ICNA Relief Chicago distributed food to 245 families. Many thanks to the 20 volunteers who helped. As the only national Muslim organization serving our most vulnerable neighbors, right here in the US, we are counting on being your #1 choice for charity, in Ramadan, and through the year, inshaAllah. Ameen! As Illinois budget cuts take from the poorest, yet again, it becomes even more incumbent for the community to be there for their brothers and sisters who are hurting the most.

ICNA Relief Attributes 70 Percent of Accomplishments to its Volunteers

Many hands working together lighten the load. As we mentioned at the April 10 ICNA Relief Banquet this year, this saying is at the heart of ICNA Relief’s accomplishments. 70 percent of our services are possible because of volunteers, while a 100 percent of our services depend on donors like yourself. This year, the ICNA Relief “Excellence in Community Service” Award went to various youth groups for taking the initiative and rising to serve those hurting the most in our community. including United Muslim Relief, UIC: (Relive the event with more pictures on  Facebook)

ICNA Relief Annual Banquet, Sunday April 10, 6:15 p.m. Tickets on Sale Now!

Early Bird prices effective until March 20th.

The Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever directs someone to a good, then he will have the reward equal to the doer of the action.” [Muslim 1893] We are so honored to have both Mufti Hussain Kamani and Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director, CAIR, speaking at our upcoming banquet,inshallah. Here is a taste of what you can expect! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv65ubW_fYg
"We give where it is most needed globally, but we must also give locally to strengthen our communities. Giving to one's home community is both a sound Prophetic tradition and, in the case of American Muslims, an emphatic declaration to friend and foe that America is our home too." Ahmed Rehab.

To volunteer at the dinner, sign up here: http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers

Purchase tickets today at http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefChicago2016. Early Bird prices effective until March 20th.

Official Photographer: Shaista Hussain. This is a special needs, MUHSEN friendly event. Please let us know if you have a need at chicago@icnarelief.org. For our Hearing Impaired attendees, an ASL Interpreter from Illinois Language Services will be at this event. For children, register for a Special Needs Child Care Room courtesy of Muhsen at http://bit.ly/1VuZJAd

The Thanks Go Up and the Blessings Come Down! Praise be to God!

MLK Day of Service Brings Food to 150 Refugee Families

We celebrated MLK Day by packing food for 150 refugee and needy families as part of the ICNA Relief USA Hunger Prevention initiative, reaching our target! Jazakallah to our volunteers with special thanks to donors, the MSI volunteer group, Masjid Al-Huda volunteer group & ICN sunday school kids. We really appreciate your donation of time fighting hunger, together. Sign up for future volunteer opportunities athttp://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers

Caring Hearts Keep Kitchens, Families Going

Alhamdulillah, thanks to Allah and your generous donations this weekend, 250 families, including refugees from Syria, Iraq, Burma, won't go to bed hungry. Help us pack supplies at our food pantry @1781 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights, on MLK day 01/18/2016 from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m., inshallah, for distribution on 01/23/2016. Walk-in Volunteers Welcome! For future opportunities to volunteer, sign up at http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers

Jazakallah khair.

Donations welcome - Rice & Flour - 10 lb bags; lentils - 4 lb bags, sugar, salt, tea, oil, pasta, pasta sauce.
To sort/stock our pantry sign up at: http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers
Pantry Timings for Donations: Tues., Wed., Sat.,12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Questions? Please contact chicago@icnarelief.org; (844) 414-4862. Inshallah, we look forward to hearing from you. — at ICNA Relief Food Pantry 1781 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights. 

SAVE THE DATE - ICNA Relief Chicago's Upcoming Banquet

All potential volunteers, and parents of under-aged volunteers, need to fill this form so we can find you a great fit ! http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers

All candidates will be interviewed before a final selection is made, inshallah.
For questions, please contact Chicago@icnarelief.org

In Illinois, 1 in 7 people Struggle with Hunger

To sort/stock our pantry sign up at: http://bitly.com/ICNAReliefVolunteers

Pantry Timings for Donations: Tues., Wed., Sat.,12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Questions? Please contact chicago@icnarelief.org; (844) 414-4862Inshallah, we look forward to hearing from you.