Although most of them were fasting at the time, hundreds of Zakat Foundation of America volunteers across the U.S. fed more than 5,500 meals at feeding centers as part of the #Zakat Foundation of Americafeed5K movement this summer.
In Chicago, in line with the goal of feeding at least 5,000 meals to low-income, food-insecure, homeless or otherwise disadvantaged people this summer, eight different groups served meals on Sundays at the Remake the World Veterans Center, which offers nutritional and other support to homeless and low-income families and veterans in one of the city’s largest food deserts. They also planted a community garden that will continue to feed the neighborhood long after the volunteers have gone home.
Another group of Zakat Foundation of America volunteers in Delaware cooked dinner for 85 residents at Ronald McDonald House, a temporary home for families with a seriously ill child.
In Pittsburgh, 10 enthusiastic youth prepared and served lunch to 100 people at Jubilee Kitchen, a soup kitchen and support organization serving those who are low-income, chronically ill, unemployed and homeless. The volunteers loved serving so much, they quickly organized more feeding days around Pittsburgh at Jubilee, at a women’s shelter, and at a local farm where the volunteers picked produce and distributed it to families in need.
In Nashville, a youth group took to the streets, distributing 185 bag lunches to homeless people on two separate days. This group of young activists also prepared and served a dinner of Kurdish and Southern dishes for 20 families at their local Ronald McDonald House.
In Washington, DC, a group of young volunteers spent the first Friday of Ramadan preparing a halal barbeque for 215 low-income neighbors of the Islamic Heritage Museum.
And in Newark, DE, enthusiastic volunteers packed and helped serve 250 meals to low-income and homeless individuals and families.
From Seattle to Atlanta, Toledo to Ashburn, Knoxville to Brooklyn, and Northern California to North Carolina, these young people’s passion to serve made them less concerned with their own hunger and thirst than with those who fast by force all year.
On behalf of everyone who received a meal, a smile and the reassurance of knowing that someone does care about them, Zakat Foundation of America would like to thank all the volunteers who sacrificed their time and energy to feed the hungry this summer.
The #Zakat Foundation of Americafeed5K movement was a resounding success. If you would like to join the next wave of social activism, contact Service Learning and Community Engagement today.