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Ansar in Georgia-South Carolina distributing sleeping bags to the Homeless

By Mudassar Ahmad (Zaim, Georgia-SC Majlis)

Georgians are not used to cold weather the likes of which they dealt with this year. They hardly ever see snow, and freezing temperatures in Georgia means everything is shut down and it is a state of emergency.

Zaim Majlis, Mudassar Ahmad writes, "On the morning of February 16th, it was 24 degrees Fahrenheit and it felt ever colder. As I got in my car, I started thanking Allah Ta’ala for all the blessings we enjoy. I then started thinking of many homeless people in our community who must have been facing a serious hardship in this cold weather. I remembered that we had many sleeping bags stored in the masjid from the last Ansar Leadership event (ALC 2020)."

He called five Ansar and they got together to help out with distributing these sleeping bags to the homeless. Since law enforcement agencies usually harass the homeless, they live under a railroad bridge in the area which is away from regular roads. We parked the cars in nearest parking and walked almost a mile to the bridge.  They initially got scared seeing several people walking to them until they saw sleeping bags in our hands. We gave one bag to each individual and they were very thankful. May Allah reward the Ansar members who stepped up and helped those in need at this difficult time (Ameen).

Ansar in Houston, TX saving plants in harsh cold weather

By Shahzad Asif (Muntazim Ithar, Houston, TX Majlis)

Allah Ta’ala gives us opportunities to serve others, including all His creations, in many ways. This year saw severe winter storms in the southern states of the US. In Texas, it simply shocked the state residents. First came bitter cold weather, then slick roads and sidewalks caused by ice. And once large swathes of Texas lost power, water or both, what was originally a natural disaster turned into a technological failure that lasted for most of the week for many Houstonians. 

Many Ansar brothers observed that many plants were suffering and they decided to help. A Waqar-e-Amal activity was organized in which several Ansar participated whole heartedly. The brought supplies and were able to cover many plants before the destructive storm hit the region. It took the team five hours in this cold weather outdoors, but they were able to save these plants and look forward to enjoying these plants in the spring and beyond.

Fort Worth Majlis Food Drives in 2021

By Rukhman Malik (Zaim Fort Worth, TX Majlis)

Last year was not a typical year due to COVID-19. Almost all of us faced new difficulties due to the shutdowns, and it affected the livelihood of many American families. For some, it brought up food insecurity, which is a difficult challenge in normal days, but it becomes even more difficult to deal with in a pandemic situation.

The Ansar of Fort Worth, TX continued their spirit of community service even as the new year came upon us. They have organized two food drives so far in 2021, working in coordination with Humanity First and Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB). 17,312 lbs. (8,243 Kg) of food have been distributed thus far to over 350 families during only these two events. The next food drive is scheduled to be held on 03/13/2021, and the goal is to provide food for another 200 families. Inshallah.

Successfully running a local food drive in this area involves several moving parts and requires clear communication to make sure everything runs smoothly. TAFB provides the food shipments which have to be distributed on the day of the event. These shipments include, but are not limited to, vegetables, fresh fruits, canned food, eggs, milk, cheese & poultry. Nonfood supplies such as canopies, utility bins, traffic cones, and coolers have to be obtained from Humanity First.

When the Fort Worth Majlis wanted to start hosting food drives, the four Saints Church (who we had volunteered with for one of their food drives in the recent past), was more than willing to help in terms of logistics on how to run the event, advertising using social media, and in many other capacities. Now, by end of 2021, the Fort Worth Majlis is aiming to distribute food to 2500 families. Inshallah.

Send us your stories of brotherhood, Ijtima memories, or any other inspiring experience that we can share with Ansar brothers via this e-newsletter.

Department of Publications Majlis Ansarullah USA

   ♦  Sadr Majlis
   ♦  Editor