Pandemic Underscores Educational Disparity
The disparity between wealthy and poor school districts has grown during the pandemic. According to Reuters, this disparity is fueled by school boards facing increased pandemic costs, such as technology for remote learning and safety measures such as cleaning. Lower-income parents just don’t have the resources to help their kids navigate online learning with designated spaces to learn, laptops or computers, or access to the internet.
Muslim Charity Zakat Foundation Closes the Gap
At the Zakat Foundation of America, we have pledged to close the gap in underserved communities. We are committed to serving communities that are overlooked through our social justice initiatives and our COVID-19 distributions.
In North Carolina, we recently received an awards grant from Duke University and Duke University Health System, the Duke Office of Durham & Community Affairs. We used this grant to provide 300 elementary and high school children with story and educational books in underserved neighborhoods. Besides providing education materials, our North Carolina team, headed by Nayma Kose, also distributed toys such as balls to encourage younger children to stay active.
Most importantly, we are working to help children have a safe space to learn. To do this, we have worked to build study desks for kids in need. These desks were lovingly constructed and transported to children in McDougald Terrace. McDougald Terrace is a public housing community in Durham, N.C, with a history of being underserved.
We are always so grateful when all parts of the community come together to fulfill a need. It’s what makes our community united. We give and share our talents and gifts to lift each other. Won’t you make a gift to help change the life of a child today?