Youth Development:

They Are Doing This For Issa!!!

Columbus teens lead other kids to make smart choices, deliver free meals for Ramadan ~ abc6 News Reports

We are so proud of Sharmarke and Mukumbira for doing an amazing job testifying before the Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Health and Human Services recently! The committee was blown away by their testimony and strength. Thanks to our Founder & Executive Direcror Zerqa Abid and Katana Mullen for accompanying and helping these young men.

abc6 News picked up the story and reported yesterday:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Two Columbus teens are working with a local organization to keep kids safe and encourage them to make smart choices, and in the process, they're changing their own lives.

"I have changed," said Sharmarke Abdi. "I’ve changed a lot."

For Abdi, that change happened while participating in MY Project USA's programming and serving as a youth leader for the organization based in the Hilltop.

"I’ve used to like hang with the wrong crew, look up to the wrong members. Now since this program came up, I’ve been good and on a good path," said Sharmarke.

Please click below and watch the full story and donate to support our initiatives to foster these young men as compassionate leaders and advocates for their community - Our Community!

Ramadan Happenings:

How You Can Help MY Project USA Protect & Empower Youth & Families this Ramadan – Video Message by Zerqa Abid

MY Project USA is working hard on several projects this Ramadan! Our Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid explains all of our initiatives in this helpful video.

Ramadan Happenings:

Get Your Tickets Before Sunday!
Last Two Tables Left – Book Your Seat At Our Interfaith Iftar Now

Are you ready for Sunday? We are very excited to see you all for our 9th Annual Columbus Interfaith Ramadan Iftar & Fundraiser at the Courtyard by Marriott Columbus West/Hilliard. 

As in previous years, we will continue celebrating our village and the youth and their families that we have fostered together over the years. We will also be raising money to support the initiatives that have helped us in protecting and empowering our youth. 

Please join us to celebrate our diversity, humanity, faiths and values that have built this amazing village of ours, by breaking the bread together and listening to phenomenal, inspiring speakers. Among the confirmed speakers will be MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid; Dr. Waqas Nawaz, Gastronterology Physician at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center; and Justin Abdurrahman Wood, Youth Director for the Noor Islamic Cultural Center.

Seats are limited. Please make sure to register your seats now and share with your families and friends as well. We are looking forward to seeing you at the dinner.

REGULAR PRICE (VALID THROUGH SATURDAY)
Table of 10: $900 ǀ Adult: $100 ǀ Student: $50 ǀ Child under 10: $10 ǀ Family Childcare: $25

Add $20 to each Ticket Price at the door.

Ramadan Happenings:

Share Your Blessings This Ramadan!
Feed Local Needy This Ramadan – Sign Up for Iftar Kitchen

As in previous years, we are providing Iftar & Sahoor on the west side of Columbus. Volunteers can either help bring, package and/or distribute food or donate money so we can order food to feed the needy. Any amount is greatly appreciated!

 • Link to donate money online: http://ow.ly/OgFI50Nk9WK
(Please designate your donation to “MY Soup Kitchen - Iftar Kitchen”)

 • Weekly Sign Ups:
    – Week 2: March 30-April 5
    – Week 3: April 6-12
    – Week 4: April 13-18

Ramadan Happenings:

Brighten a Needy Child’s Eid by Donating to Our Toy Drive

The Columbus Muslim community is going to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the marking of the end of Ramadan, in late April. It is a joyous occasion, but we have thousands of children within our refugee community who do not receive any gifts or toys on the Day of Eid. With your help, we can change that!

Our goal this year is to distribute at least 2,500 toys and gifts and 750 goody bags. Please sign up now and help us continue to make this a successful event. You can bring toys or donate money. 

We have four drop of locations. Once sign up, you will need to bring wrapped gifts on April 15. 

After you sign up or donate, please share it with others!

Ramadan Happenings:

MY Project USA Fits 6 out 8 Criteria of Zakat

MY Project USA is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. We serve local refugees, orphans, slaves, victims of abuse and other needy and poor neighbors in the Columbus and Dayton areas in Ohio. We are Zakat-eligible because it falls into six of the eight categories of Zakat as commanded by Allah SWT in the following verse of Quran.

“Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect (zakah) and for bringing hearts together (for Islam) and for freeing captives (or slaves) and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the (stranded) traveler – and obligation (imposed) by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” (Quran 9:60)

• MY Project USA Fits 6 of 8 Criteria of Zakat •

Categories No. 1 & 2: “for poor and for the needy” – This applies because we are helping poor local and refugee Muslim families.

Category No. 4: “bringing hearts together” – This applies because we serve all needy people regardless of their faith, ethnicity or race. We also work with individuals that are attracted to Island and Muslims and prefer working with us to learn more.

Category No. 5: “freeing captives” – This applies because we are addressing human trafficking, the modern-day slavery, prevention and intervention. Our focus is to free sex slaves from bondage and help them reestablish a life of their own.

Category No. 6: “paying the debt” – This applies because we take care of families, single moms and family violence victims dealing with debts and financial instability.

Category No. 7: “the cause of Allah” – This applies because we are protecting and empowering Muslim youth and families in America. Through our work, we are addressing drugs, gangs, violence, suicides, radicalization, homelessness and hunger through capacity-building of the individuals and the community. Through the documentation and publicity of our work, we week to address Islamophobia as well. Our goal is to preserve Islam and Muslim communities in America at its best.

Ramadan Happenings:

For $15 Zakat Al Fitr – We Can Feed a Family For a While

Zakat al Fitr is a mandatory charity for wealthy Muslims to give out before offering the Eid prayers.

This Eid, MY Project USA would like to amplify your Zakat to help feed over 300 families this Ramadan.

You can put smiles on the faces of a family in need this holy month. Help us make this Eid pantry the best yet! Donations can only be accepted through Wednesday, April 19.

With just a $15 contribution, we can distribute the following on your behalf to one family:

• 22 oz. of Vegetable Oil
• 10 lb of Rice
• 3 lb of Spaghetti
• 5 lb of Flour
• 4 lb of Sugar

If you are unable to donate at this time, please consider sharing our fundraiser on Facebook! Small acts like this can go a long way in assisting our mission.

Other Ways to Pay:

• Pay By Check: Please make checks payable to MY Project USA and send them to 3275 Sullivant Ave. Columbus, OH 43204
• You can pay on our website here: MYProjectUSA.org/donors
• Zelle Direct Deposit ID: info@myprojectusa.org
• Venmo ID: MYProjectUSA

Please email us at info@myprojectusa.org if you have any questions or comments about your donations to MY Project USA.

Youth Development:

Uzair Qidwai Teaches Youngsters at 'Career Fri-Yays' Event

MY Project USA hosted its latest "Career Fri-Yays" event on March 24 with Board member Uzair Qidwai showing students at West High School how to build websites.

Uzair shared his journey as an entrepreneur in the information technology (IT) business. Students created their own websites and found a lot of interest in potentially pursuing this as a career. They were fascinated at how innovative and accessible this field would be for them and their futures.

We are thankful to Uzair for taking his time to share his knowledge with the West students. 

The "Career Fri-Yays" events are sponsored by MY Project USA and the RoundUp after-school program at West. They aim to prepare West students for life after high school. They hear great speakers who have succeeded despite facing various challenges, get the opportunity to network with professionals and more.

MY Project USA is still looking for speakers for future “Career Fri-Yays” events. Those interested should email Youth Program Director Katana Mullen at youthdirector@myprojectusa.org.

Annual Report :

"You have completed 8 decades of work in just eight years,” Dr. Nawaz Says to Zerqa Abid

32 Pages Are Not Enough To Tell Our Story!

Earlier this year, members from the Community Association of Pakistani Americans of Central Ohio (CAPA) took a tour of MY Project USA and our Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center. During the tour, CAPA Board member Dr. Waqas Nawaz asked MY Project USA's Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid when she launched our organization. Abid replied eight years ago.

“You have completed eight decades of work in just eight years,” Dr. Nawaz responded.

We were all very humbled by his response, but the truth is that just Sr. Zerqa has voluntarily worked an average of 80 hours a week throughout the last 8 years and has completed more than16-years worth of work by herself. Several other board members have also contributed hundreds of hours since 2014 and might have also contribute for another 4-5 years worth of work to grow and sustain the organization. 

It's no brainer that our new Annual Report is 32 pages, but thirty-two pages are no where enough to attempt to tell the story of MY Project USA and all of the work we have done – and continue to do – in our first eight years.

We are truly humbled and pray that all this hard work is accepted by us and become a source of forgiveness and blessings for us in this world and in the hereafter. 

We are grateful to your presence in our village. Thank you for being part of the family. 

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: 
8 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 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)

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