ICNA Relief's School District Food Distributions
The Shura Council has congratulated ICNA Relief's ongoing efforts involving mobilizing the community and private charitable resources, including essential food and basic health commodities, and providing them upon request and through community-wide events covering regions across Southern California, free of charge, to an extensive network of locally run partnered organizations and local government entities that also provide services to those most in need. They held a food drive at Masjid Gibrael on Friday, August 14th.
In line with ICNA Relief's mission, in emergencies, the approach has been the same. Those who were most vulnerable the day before any emergency, generally, are most vulnerable when emergencies occur. It was befitting that since they already had the relationships they were able to jump into action as soon as COVID-19 affected those living in Southern California. Islamic Centers, local food sources, and relationships with those in local government as well as community activists of all backgrounds knew they could call them to help their communities. ICNA Relief targets low-income areas within Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, and the Inland Empire Counties (Riverside and San Bernardino).
One of many examples of their work is the Mega Fruit and Vegetable distributions they collaborate with in different school districts such as the Placentia-Yorba Linda Union School District and others. In order to fulfill the needs of those most vulnerable, they asked their partners to find them venues and populations that typically serve kids who were from families that received free or reduced lunches during the normal school year. They feel that data collected by local authorities and agencies are adequate in determining their target audience. The cities and school districts were pleased to work with the organization because of the services provided, the professionalism in which distributions were carried out, and the prevailing need in those areas. They also offered to market each of the distributions that serve their student body and their families. ICNA Relief's large volunteer base of selfless individuals is the bloodline by which they are able to carry out the Mega Distributions that routinely distribute between 1,500 - 3,000 fruit/vegetable boxes each week.
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