Sacramento Muslims Help to Feed the Community through Ar-Razzaq Food Bank

By Ras H. Siddiqui

Sacramento’s Muslim community has grown. There are now quite a few organizations here helping to feed some of the disadvantaged in the region.  One that stands out is Ar-Razzaq Food Bank ( https://www.ar-razzaqfoodbank.org/ ) which has been active in the area since 2009. Its mission statement is "Ar-Razzaq Food Bank’s mission is to assist the impoverished individuals and families in the Northern California community, particularly the Muslims in the greater Sacramento area.to assist the impoverished individuals and families in the Northern California community, particularly the Muslims in the greater Sacramento area. Our goal is to judiciously distribute food to the needy in our community and also extend a helping hand to the community at large if our resources permit."

Now that several years have passed and as some (but not all) of our local Muslim community members are no longer struggling immigrants, the assistance of Ar-Razzaq Food Bank has started to impact the wider community and is not exclusively focused on Muslims. This has been the case recently but with the caveat that most of the refugee population which is currently settling in Northern California is Muslim. And in case their needs cannot be met in a timely manner through other organizations, Ar-Razzaq is there as a backup resource. And that is not without saying that we do not already have poverty present within the ranks of our area Muslim community which needs to be addressed. Assisting them requires monetary resources.

Ar-Razzaq runs on donations, and it was for this reason that a fundraising banquet was held at the SALAM Community Center on Saturday, February 15, 2025, during which the organization was able to convey its message, work, and focus on community needs. The goal for the evening was to support the organizational mission of providing food assistance to families, individuals, and at-risk youth in the Greater Sacramento Area. Close to 200 people attended, and many of us were able to learn more about the work Ar-Razzaq has been doing, especially during the past year.

The evening started with some networking opportunities before the event emcee and food bank President Tahir Rashid called everyone’s attention and invited Usman Khalid to perform a recitation of the Holy Qur’an which he did along with presenting the English translation of the verses. This was followed by a speech by the organization’s community liaison Sister Durriya Syed who shared with us the background facts on the genesis of Ar-Razzaq Food Bank. She said that the food bank had a rough time in 2019 but the help of some individuals and families in the area turned things around.

Sister Durriya also highlighted some of the work that the organization has been doing and shared the names of its current team (VP Sister Sarah Anwar, Treasurer Khalid Elias, Volunteer Coordinator Sister Noreen Saeed, plus Sister Shabana and Sister Rizwana, and it appears there are not one but two Anjum’s behind the scene!). Starting with delivery from home, they now have a warehouse, and Ar-Razzaq has grown. And awareness of its work has spread in the region with the help of two young ladies from the community, marketing managers Sabah Elias and Rahma Beg who have been very active on social media promoting the organization.

Next up Sister Suzana Malik elaborated on the food bank’s current work, who they serve, and how. She said that Ar-Razzaq provides food assistance to low-income and refugee families, homeless at-risk families, and homeless at-risk youth. She added that every month many care packages are bagged to be picked up by local non-profits and area mosques for distribution to the needy. She said that Ar-Razzaq is partnering with area mosques and other organizations in its food distribution drive.

Br Tahir Rashid also mentioned that during Ramadan (coming up), the need for these food packages goes up. He next invited Ar-Razzaq Food Bank Treasurer Khalid Elias to present a work status and budgetary report. In the year 2024, Br Khalid informed, the food bank was able to assist 3,000 families, 1,800 homeless individuals, and 600 at-risk youth. Some of the other highlights of the year included joining a meal donation program with Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento and developing a partnership with Grocery Outlet which allowed for the distribution of health supplements and flu medications to the homeless during the winter season. Average costs for care packages were also mentioned by Br Khalid (per family, homeless individual, youth, and Eid packages) and an estimate of the annual budget required to execute the program was given, setting the stage for the event fundraising goal. 

Two area mosque representatives Br Azad and Br Saifuddin (Br Ilyas in his place) also shared their views on the value of Ar-Razzaq’s work followed by a very inspirational delivery by young Usayd Azhar who made the necessary connection of the need for Muslims to help their neighbors, as a very important part of their faith.  You continue to do this, and Allah (SWT) will bless you, he said. This was followed by the fundraising appeal, which was carried out with the help of Deya Elghassein, who performed the task quite well. Recognition of the Ar-Razzaq social media team of Sabah Elias and Rahma Beg, a fine Mediterranean dinner, and a silent auction of calligraphy on pottery by Sister Suzana Malik closed the event.     

To conclude, one cannot understate the value of community service by the American Muslim community, not only for itself but for the disadvantaged in the mainstream who may need our assistance. We are all in this together. Who knows when, where, or if any one of us may need such help too? Our circumstances and fiscal well-being are always in the hands of God.