Benefit Dinner: 

Hungry Children Are Easy Prey – But You Can Change That!

Be the Hope for Children in Columbus

Register Now to Join Us at Our Benefit Dinner Next Friday

Dinner Is Free – Registration is Required

We all know that hungry children are easy prey, and that is why MY Project USA is excited about next week's "A Night of Hope" benefit dinner at Noor Islamic Cultural Center.

The dinner, which will be held on Friday, June 16, from 6-9 p.m. at the NICC, will help MY Project USA reach its goal of serving 100,000 meals in 2023.

There are more than 10,000 children at risk of violence, drugs, gangs and human trafficking in the Hilltop area on the west side of Columbus. The annual median income of their families is $6,000. They are 200% below the poverty line. Their struggles with poverty, hunger and a bad neighborhood with no recreation/enrichment opportunities make them easy prey for criminals to recruit them to their gangs.

The Noor Islamic Cultural Center & MY Project USA are joining hands to make sure that all children have food and a safe place to play and learn to reach their full potential in Columbus. Please join us at this dinner to learn more and contribute. 

This event is free, but registration is required. Please register by Wednesday, June 14. See you Friday!

Youth Development:

Columbus Youth United To Combat Gun Violence And Global Warming

SAVE THE DATE: Youth Summit on July 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Group Slated to Meet Weekdays Through Early August

The MY Leaders Summer Program kicked off on Saturday with a great day of lessons and activities for our group of more than a dozen young men and women at the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center.

This is a project that is near and dear to the heart of MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid, who is passionate about advocating for and developing the next generation of community leaders. She is giving hours and hours to this initiative. Currently, 25 youth leaders from different ethnic groups are being trained by her and the team. 

The group listened to a presentation from Youth Leadership Trainer Kay Wilson, who taught the youngsters about effective communication. The young men and women also got to head outside to check out and work in the Hilltop Youth Garden. Thank you to MY Project Youth Program Director Katana Mullen, Education Consultant Director Dr. Sharon Watkins and staffers Muna Cheik, Abdi "Neymar" Idris, Mohamed "Speedy" Ahmed and Ali Jeylani for their efforts in making the program a success.

The summer program will have three focus areas: climate justice, guns/gang violence and substance abuse, as well as a girls' entrepreneurship portion. The MY Leaders group is slated to meet each weekday afternoon from June 5-Aug. 8 at the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center.

The MY Leaders Program offers a valuable opportunity for exceptional young individuals within immigrant and refugee communities. It brings youth from different socio-economic and social backgrounds into one room to work together on a common cause. By providing financial support through a stipend and recognizing their efforts, this program aims to empower under-served individuals to continue making a positive difference in their communities.

Thank you to The Women's Fund of Central Ohio, Ohio Department of Education and the ADAMH Board of Franklin County for their financial support of this program through grants. 

Youth Development:

Farms, Caves & Parks! Summer Campers Enjoy Getting Outside During MY Summer Expedition's Environment Camp

Next Week's Camp is Our Community Leadership Camp

The first of MY Project USA's eight weekly summer camps is underway, with dozens of elementary and middle school students taking part in our Environment Camp. 

Special thank you goes out to Columbus Metro Parks instructor Tanya Taylor, who has helped MY Project USA staffers lead the students on several field trips this week. The children have visited caves, farms and parks. They have gotten to explore nature, see animals and enjoy hands-on learning experiences. We are also grateful to MY Project USA Education Manager Jenna Herron and the rest of the MY Project USA staff and volunteers who are working very hard to make this week a special one for the children.

Looking ahead to next week, the campers will be taking part in our Community Leadership Camp, where youngsters will explore how to make a positive impact in their community. There are a handful of open slots for all of the rest of our MY Summer Expedition series of camps.

Interested in learning more or registering your children? Please call or text Felix Mijangos at (614) 401-6115.

Thank you to the Ohio Department of Education, the city of Columbus and the ADAMH Board of Franklin County for their support.

Youth Development:

APEX 'Learning Lab' Now Open for High School Students at the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center

Get 3 Hours of Tutoring Support Every Tuesday-Thursday through Aug. 3

Do you know a high school student who needs to acquire or recover credits for graduation? We're here to help! Our APEX "Learning Lab" is now open at the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center.

• What?: Three hours of tutoring support while you work on APEX to earn credits needed for graduation
• Where?: Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center (3275 Sullivant Ave. Columbus, OH 43204)
• When?: Tuesdays-Thursdays from 4-7 p.m. starting June 6 and running through Aug. 3 (No lab the week of July 4)
• Who?: Eligible to those entering or currently in grades 9-12

Questions? Call (614) 407-6701 or email educationmanager@myprojectusa.org.

MY Community Cafe:

Ordering From MY Community Cafe Helps Keep Children in Columbus Away from Drugs and Gangs

Hungry Children Are Easy Prey – Feeding a Child Helps

If you have purchased a meal from MY Community Cafe, you have helped feed children in Columbus. If you have not, now is the perfect time to do so!

Now that the summer is here, it is extremely important to make sure at-risk children in Columbus have access to food. MY Project USA continues to try to provide an oasis in what is a well-known food desert.

We have a goal of serving 100,000 meals in 2023, and it is extremely important to do everything we can to keep children safe. Feeding them is an important way to accomplish that goal.

Please consider donating the our "Sponsor a Meal" campaign today or by ordering some delicious food from MY Community Cafe. 

Order. Donate. Feed a Future!

Global Gifts & Thrift: 

Let MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid Show You Some of the Best Items at Global Gift & Thrift

We're Located in the Hilliard Shopping Center Next to the BMV

Check out the great selection today. All proceeds of sales go to funding MY Project USA's programs. Happy shopping!

SHOP. DONATE. BUILD A LIFE.

📍 4730 Cemetery Rd. (Next to the Hilliard BMV)
⏰️ Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Family Platinum Card: 

Don't Forget to Register for Our New Family Platinum Card

Eligible Families Receive Discounts, Holiday Gifts, 'Fast Pass' & More!

MY Project USA is still actively registering clients for our new Family Platinum Card. This brand new initiative is FREE and has several benefits.

Benefits Include:

• 20% off discount at MY Community Cafe and Global Gifts & Thrift
• Monthly prize raffles
• Holiday gifts
• “Fast Pass” (a way to speed up the sign-in process) for MY Project USA events    
• Special “Members Only” events
• And MORE to be announced!

Please come to the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center (3275 Sullivant Ave. Columbus, OH 43204) to sign up.

Annual Report: 

Have You Read Our Annual Report Yet? It's 32 Pages of Great Info!

If you have not yet read our latest annual report, click on the image above (or the button below) to download a PDF of the 32-page report. We did our best to put eight years of work in these pages, but that's nowhere near enough to attempt to tell the full story. 

MY Helpline:

Rent & Utilities Support Available At MY Project USA

We have been working very hard in securing grants and building collaboration with other partners to help our clients. Thanks to The Columbus Foundation, United Way of Central Ohio, and IMPACT Community Action, we are still able to help more of our families with their rent and utilities. If you or someone you know needs help, please ask them to contact us at (614) 905-0977 or helpadmin@myprojectusa.org.

MY Deah's Warehouse:

12 Locations In Columbus To Drop Off Donations – Truck Pick-Up Available For Large Donations

You can now drop off your donations of new and gently used clothes, shoes, books, toys and other small non-breakable items in a donation box near you. These locations include: 

• Noor Islamic Cultural Center –  5001 Wilcox Rd. Dublin, OH 43016
• Masjid Nimrah – 4501 Refugee Rd. Columbus, OH 43232
• MAS Youth Center – 4615 Northtowne Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229
• Turkish American Society of Ohio (TASO) – 2885 W. Dublin Granville Rd. Columbus, OH 43235
• Ahlul Bayt Society – 2580 W. Dublin Granville Rd. Columbus, OH 43235
• The First Congregational Church – 444 E. Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215
• MY Deah's Warehouse – 4004 Fondorf Dr. Columbus, OH 43228. (Business Hours Only)
• Global Gifts & Thrift – 4730 Cemetery Rd. Hilliard, OH 43206. (Business Hours Only)
• Heritage Christian Church (NEW) – 7413 Maxtown Rd. Westerville, OH 43082
• Omar Ibn El-Khattab Masjid (NEW) – 580 Riverview Dr. Columbus, OH 43202
• The Destiny Center (NEW) – 1561 Old Leonard Ave. Columbus, OH 43219
• Bethel International United Methodist Church (NEW) – 1220 Bethel Rd. Columbus, OH 43220

We are looking for more locations. If interested in helping us or have any other questions, please contact us at warehouse@myprojectusa.org.