Take a Stand against Domestic Violence
This past August we read about the tragic death of 27-year old Nazish Noorani in the New York Times and were reminded that domestic violence exists in every community.
A few days later, a friend sent us a link to Aman Ali's piece entitled, "Battered but not Beaten" which featured women from Muslimat Al-Nisaa. Each woman at the shelter had her own story. Some were victims of domestic violence, while others were homeless. Regardless of their past, they all wanted a better life for themselves and were working towards it. The desire and determination each woman had inspired us. It made us think about what we could do to help. It then dawned on us. Even though we could not offer words of support, we knew we could donate and raise awareness amongst our respective families and friends. And this, dear friend, is where YOU come in.
What the Center Needs
We spoke with Asma Hanif, the Executive Director of the Center, to understand how we could help. She shared with us what the Center, a 501(c)(3), provides as well as what it needs.
Muslimat Al-Nisaa provides:
Shelter.
It houses victims of domestic abuse (women and children), victims of
human trafficking, the elderly and homeless. To be accepted into the
shelter each individual must have a list of goals and make progress
towards those goals.
Education. Every resident has the opportunity to get her GED, skills training, medical care, employment and basic counseling services to help her become self-sufficient.
Muslimat Al-Nisaa wants to:
Support more women.
The Center has the ability to accommodate 50 individuals, but is
currently supporting half that number due to insufficient funds. (They
have a waiting list of women!)
Provide legal and professional counseling services to residents.
One day purchase the multi-unit dwelling it occupies.
What We Want to Do
Muslimat Al-Nisaa has many needs and does not accept funding from the government in order to carry out its mission in effectively serving an under-served population. We would like, with your help, to get more women back on their feet. This is why we are asking you to help us raise $5,000 by November 7th, 2011. Yes, it is a lot of money. However, if you think about it, we only need 200 people to give $25, or 500 to give $10. We sincerely believe we can do it with your help!
What YOU can do
1. Donate. Remember no gift is too small. Every dollar counts!
2. Forward, tweet, and facebook this message to friends and family who can help us reach our goal of $ 5,000 by November 7th, 2011.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Remember there is no small gift. Your donation of $25 along with those of 199 other amazing people will get us to 5,000!
Fatu and Sumaya
