This Giving Tuesday, Give Peace of Mind

NOTE: To maximize LaunchGood's matching program,
please make your donation ON Tuesday, November 27.

Chances are, you know at least one person who suffers from a mental health illness.

One in five American adults experiences a mental issue. One in 25 lives with a serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder or major depression. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. with an average of 123 suicides per day.

Muslim-Americans are currently facing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Islamophobia is at an all time high — six times more than post-9/11.

This Giving Tuesday, Zakat Foundation is raising awareness about mental health and inviting you to support our global mental health programs.

3 Ways YOU Can Help Support Mental Health

1. Make Therapy Accessible to Muslims in North America

For anyone contemplating suicide, or families on the brink of breaking apart, or individuals who remain stuck in a dark cycle of depression, the last thing they should have to worry about is how to afford a good therapist.

Merging rich tradition with modern psychology, Zakat Foundation’s Khalil Center offers professionally trained therapists who integrate traditional Islamic healing methods with modern clinical psychology. In 2017, more than 13,000 patients — including individuals, couples and families — were provided professional counseling, addressing anxiety, phobias, PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, attention deficit disorder (ADD), marital conflict, family conflict and many more issues. Due to high demand, Khalil Center has expanded nationwide with clinics now in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and soon, Toronto. Khalil Center offers in-person appointments and web-therapy. It also has a Crisis Helpline: 1855-5HELPKC.

2. Treat Post-War Trauma for Syrian Refugees

There are more than 2 million Syrians displaced in Turkey, many of whom are struggling with PTSD. Near the border, Zakat Foundation funds medical clinics that provide psychological support to help widows, orphans, and other war victims overcome the unseen scars of violence, rape, and displacement. On a monthly basis, we serve 300 children with post-war mental and developmental trauma at the Sigharuna Kibaruna Clinic. Zakat Foundation’s Women’s Empowerment Center on the Turkey-Syria border treats refugee women victimized severely by war-time rape. Your donation will help us to restore their mental well-being and coach their ability to function normally again in society.

3. Provide Professional Counseling for Palestine’s School Children

An entire generation has grown up in the shadows of occupation and war. The illegal blockade places severe restrictions on 1.2 million Palestinians. Unemployment has skyrocketed, and many youth, due to lack of opportunities, feel hopeless. The sociopolitical reality has contributed to widespread mental health issues (51 percent of Gaza’s children and 31 percent of its adults suffer from PTSD, according to Gaza Community Mental Health Program). Zakat Foundation provides comprehensive mental health support programs to orphans with PTSD in Gaza. In partnership with Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Zakat Foundation is also equipping West Bank schools with professionally trained counselors to provide emotional and behavioral therapy for children with mental illness and learning disabilities.

Our mental well-being is just as important as our physical health. We can not ignore the mental health needs of our communities here in North America, nor that of our brothers and sisters around the world. Just as we strive to provide humanitarian aid through shelter, food, or education, Zakat Foundation also understands the importance of mental health programs and how it can help a community heal in times of need.