Zakat Foundation of America Serves Community in Honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Week

“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” ― Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Kings’ commitment to service and assisting others, Zakat Foundation of America is launching its 10th annual service week. While Zakat Foundation is known for its  international humanitarian work in over 40 countries, it also commits to serving its neighbors throughout the United States.

Recently, the Zakat Foundation launched a Social Services Center in Harvey, IL, providing low-income families with free clothing, hygiene items and warm winter essentials free of charge to local income families. For Martin Luther King Jr. Week, Zakat Foundation of America will use its local US offices to reach out to under-resourced communities and provide them with winter and essential necessities and address basic needs.

A core tenant of the organization is “humanity above all” and beneficiaries are always treated with dignity, respect and care. Five states will host various activities expected to impact about 6,500 individuals. The list of events can be found below with highlights including tutoring, winter gear/clothing distribution, grocery distribution and serving hot meals. In each community, Zakat Foundation works alongside local partners including local law enforcement, mosques, assisted living homes, Ronald McDonald houses and schools, among others. Beyond impacting those in need, the MLK Service week allows volunteers, especially youth, an opportunity to give back to their communities. The goal is that volunteers are encouraged to take civic responsibility and take an active role in improving their communities.

Any person wishing to volunteer or receive assistance may contact Nayma Kose, outreach and community engagement director at nayma@zakat.org. “We are so excited to empower our local communities to help serve our under resourced neighbors,” Kose stated, “Bringing everyone together in the spirit of service celebrates the best parts of ourselves.”  The organization strives to support recovery and development in all its forms, aligning with the UN’s 17 Goals for Sustainable Development.