'A Night of Hope' Benefit Dinner: 

Help Protect Local Children – Join Us for 'A Night of Hope'

Be Sure to Register NOW for Our Benefit Dinner at the NICC

We all know that hungry children are easy prey, and that's why providing food to our young clients has been a priority for MY Project USA for many years.

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 in their gangs.

But you can help! Yes, you!

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. The NICC is graciously hosting our "A Night of Hope" benefit dinner Friday night to help MY Project USA raise money to reach its goal of feeding 100,000 meals in 2023.

Please join us at this dinner to learn more and contribute. The event is FREE, but registration is required. 

MY Leaders Summer Program: 

Columbus TV Station Highlights Efforts of MY Project USA's MY Leaders Summer Program

Columbus Youth United Summit Scheduled for Saturday, July 22

A big thank you to Isabelle Hanson of ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus for her report on our MY Leaders Summer Program. 

MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid and 16-year-old Mukumbira Mukumbira were interviewed for the report, and Hanson and her cameraman were also able to sit in on yesterday's MY Leaders gathering.

"I don't like the gun violence in my neighborhood," Mukumbira told Hanson. "Kids get hurt every day when they could be here (at MY Project USA)."

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

The group will also host the Columbus Youth United Summit on July 22. That event will provide the youngsters an opportunity to speak with state and local lawmakers.

"It’s the right thing to do," Abid said. "I think there is nothing else I can do better than empower them and equip them with the advocacy training that they need, and that could change their communities."

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 Climate Justice Fund, Ohio Department of Education and the ADAMH Board of Franklin County for their support.

Youth Development:

Fun & Learning Continues for MY Summer Expedition Campers During Community Leadership Camp

Youngsters Learn How to Make Positive Impact in Their Community

Next Week's Camp: Nature/Environment Career Camp

The Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center has been abuzz with fun and excitement during the first two weeks of MY Project USA's MY Summer Expedition series of weekly camps.

The first two weeks have seen elementary school and middle school campers get outside for learning experiences at parks, rivers and caves during our Environment Camp last week. They've also learned more about advocacy and how to make a positive impact at any age during this week's Community Leadership Camp. 

The campers even got a chance to be the first people to play at the future site of the Issa Jeylani Memorial Recreation Center as part of their learning more about the project and how they can help make the center a reality! The campers even got a chance to ask MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid questions about the rec center.

The fun will continue all summer long. Weekly camps run through early August (with no camp scheduled for the week of July 4) and include camp subjects such as Nature/Environment Careers, Sport & Recreation, Art, STEM & Technology, Cooking & Nutrition and Music & Dance.

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' Helping MY Leaders, Other High Schoolers Catch Up or Get Ahead Academically

Attendees Get 3 Hours of Tutoring Support Every Tuesday-Thursday

Members of our MY Leaders program were among the nearly two dozen high school students that have taken part in our APEX Learning Lab at the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center this week.

Thank you to Dr. Sharon Watkins, MY Project USA Education Consultant, for leading the tutoring sessions. The lab is a great way for students who will be entering grades 9-12 next fall to acquire or recover credits needed for graduation.

The Learning Lab offers three hours of tutoring support every Tuesday-Thursday through Aug. 3, with no lab during the week of July 4.

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

MY Family Pantry:

Volunteers Allow MY Family Pantry to Serve 147 Families, 611 Individuals on Saturday, June 10

Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who helped serve 147 families and 611 individuals at MY Family Pantry on Saturday. We saw 26 new families and were able to serve healthy and nutritious food and offer household necessities. We have served a total of 1,102 families (4,353 individuals) this month from our pantry in the last 15 days. 

The Mid-Ohio Market at MY Project USA is a collaborative initiative of MY Project USA and the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, powered by MY Family Pantry volunteers and staff. We distribute fresh produce and groceries to hundreds of individuals in our community every week.

If you would like to join us in fighting food insecurity in Columbus, please visit:
https://mofb.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/MOMUSA

We would like to thank everyone who came out to serve the community this weekend, and also our wonderful donors who make our many initiatives possible. We hope to see you all again soon!

Global Gifts & Thrift: 

While Supplies Last – Select Items Now 50% Off at Global Gifts & Thrift

See Store for Details on Which Great Items Are on Sale

Don't forget! All proceeds of sales at Global Gift & Thrift 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.

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!

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.