CoronaVirus (CoVid-19) is a highly infectious virus that has brought the world to a standstill. A virus that spreads through social interactions and does not show its symptoms until it is too late. A virus that has forced industries to shut down and entire countries to lockdown. These precarious circumstances create a culture of panic and fear amongst the working masses.
The ones most at risk are the homeless, the daily wage earners, and the people forced to take unpaid time off. Cut off from their source of income, most of these people face immense difficulties in providing for their families. The rest of the people hoard up food and other supplies from the supermarkets, resulting in necessities getting out of stock.
In the United States of America, more than a third of the working class is in jobs that do not offer any sick leave nor provide medical insurance. Most of these workers are usually providing service to many customers; Uber drivers, people working in restaurants, people working in supermarkets and malls, cashiers, plumbers, electricians, etc. In case of a lockdown, when the whole country goes into quarantine, these people can no longer earn for themselves.
In trying times like these, it is easy for mental health to get affected. Quarantine itself can become a lonely and burdening experience if a person is away from his or her loved ones, or does not know how to put food on the family table. It can also get more stressful for a family which has elderly at home since they are the ones most at risk from the virus.
To take care of the American communities, the Zakat Foundation of America has launched a nationwide initiative to provide food, hygiene, and mental health aid to the American people. The foundation is encouraging Muslims to donate as much as they can so that the foundation can effectively provide food rations and hygiene products to deserving and affected families.
Furthermore, the Zakat Foundation of America has also launched a professional mental wellness project, “Khalil Center”. It acknowledges the spread of panic and fear due to the virus while taking into account how this unprecedented change is going to adversely affect the mental health of many people. To help the American public through these difficult times, the foundation is delving into four mediums through its Khalil Center; Web therapy, informational videos through YouTube, crisis line live chat and calls, and online webinars. Equipped with these, the organization hopes to bring a positive impact in its badly impacted community.
The Coronavirus has brought the entire world to its knees. If you are to survive, you have to actively maintain social distancing, while taking care of the rest of the community. You have to support the people who cannot provide for themselves so that they are not forced to go out and look for a source of income. This is because they are not just endangering their own lives but are also endangering yours and of the rest of the community.
Donate to the charities who are on the front lines trying to protect not just the people at risk, but also your community as well as the world at large. This is not just a good thing to do, it is also a Muslim thing to do!
Donate now to the Zakat Foundation of America and help protect your community!