Global Gifts & Thrift Grand Opening Tomorrow

Ohio Sen. Stephanie Kunze & State Reps. Dr. Anita Somani and Ismail Mohamed To Cut The Ribbon

The Store Is Our Brand New Social Enterprise To Support Our Mission

MY Project USA will hold the Grand Opening ceremony for its newest venture, Global Gifts & Thrift (GG&T), on Friday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. Global Gifts & Thirft is located at 4730 Cemetery Rd. in the Hilliard Square Shopping Center next to the BMV Office.

We are honored to have the presence of several distinguished guests including:

• Ohio State Senator Stephanie Kunze
• Ohio State Representative Dr. Anita Somani
• Ohio State Representative Ismail Mohamed
• Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano
• Hilliard City Council

We are honored to have the presence of several distinguished guests including:

At GG&T, we proudly offer an international, multicultural collection of gifts, artifacts, decorative items, clothing, shoes, household items and more. This retail location is the first of its kind in Hilliard.

Each dollar spent here will help us feed, clothe, employ and empower underprivileged youth and their families, refugees, unemployed and homeless people. It will help us address drugs, gang/gun violence and human trafficking. It will also help us foster strong girls and women leaders.

This is a Movement. We invite our community to join us at the Grand Opening ceremony and also invite them in making this another successful initiative to benefit the most underserved children and families in Central Ohio and beyond. Shop. Donate. Build A Life.

MY Reading Warriors Taking Kids Around the World

MY Reading Warriors have kicked off a new program entitled “Me and My World.” Students are learning about new countries each week at Eakin Elementary!

Readers learn about foods from around the world and have made “passports” that are stamped each week during the semester as they learn about new countries. This program is a great way for youngsters to learn more about the world around them. 

MY Reading Warriors is an initiative led by youth for youth, a team of college and high school students who plan weekly programs at Eakin to expose youngsters to books, reading, learning and, most importantly, focus on providing an emotionally safe space and mentorship for these students.

Zerqa Abid Receives CAPA Award

The Community Association of Pakistani Americans (CAPA) honored MY Project USA’s Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid with the CAPA Appreciation Award for her outstanding leadership and community service in Columbus.

Abid, who was born in Pakistan and moved to America at age 26, received the honor at the Bridgewater Banquet and Conference Center on Jan. 21.

“She is a great example for our community youth, especially young girls, to follow her footsteps,” said CAPA President Amjad Baig. “Her organization provides great resources and empowers central Columbus youth by providing opportunities with diversifying programs like MY Family Pantry, the Hilltop Tigers youth soccer program, MY Reading Warriors and the recent new program, Helping Refugees at Home.”

Abid created MY Project USA from her kitchen table with zero dollars in 2015 and has grown it to an organization that aims to spend $3 million protecting, empowering and uplifting clients in 2023.

“CAPA has observed her growth as a community leader, philanthropist and activist throughout her journey,” Baig said. “It is a roadmap that she developed for our youth to achieve their dreams and goals.”

This is the third award Abid has received in recent months. In late 2022, she was given the AARP Purpose Prize and was presented with the Philanthropist of the Year Award during the Medical Mutual 2023 Pillar Award for Community Service banquet in January.

Congratulations, Zerqa!

News Flash: Zerqa Abid Supports Shotspotter in Wedgewood - Columbus Dispatch Reports

MY Project USA’s Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid has become a major player in addressing gangs and gun violence on the westside. It is a norm for media channels to seek her opinion when it comes to any issue related to guns, gang violence, especially among Columbus youth. Check this article for her most recent interview by the Columbus Dispatch regarding a ShotSpotter gunfire detector potentially coming to Wedgewood Village Apartments, our main neighborhood in focus. She also testified in front of the Columbus City Council in favor of this investment to increase the safety of the Wedgewood community.

“As an organization that is very invested in the issue of gun violence, especially within the Wedgwood neighborhood, we welcome it,” Abid told the Dispatch.

Zerqa Abid Helps Start the First-Ever Resident Council at Wedgewood

At the latest Wedgewood “Community Power Hour” event on Friday, Feb. 10, there was a lively discussion about starting a resident council made of people who live at the Wedgewood Village Apartments.

More than a dozen residents were in attendance. There were discussions about violence in the community and how to combat that, helpful conversations about maintence issues with Wedgewood Village Apartments Manager Hakima Cheik and discussions about creating the council now that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.

“We want to meet with residents here,” MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid said during the meeting. “We want to bring the movement back. This is what we want to accomplish.”

Several attendees signed up to learn more about the council. There will be training sessions in the future as the council gets closer to its official creation. We are excited to have residents who are interested in partnering with us to create a safer and happier Wedgewood.

A big shout out to MYPUSA’s Noorullah Khan Shinwari and Cheik for organizing another successful event at Wedgewood.

The Power Hours will continue next week on Friday, Feb. 17 with a meeting on gun safety.

Dental Care Drive Underway in Honor of Deah Barakat

Deah, a 23-year-old student at the University Of North Carolina School Of Dentistry, hoped to fundraise $20,000 for a summer trip to Turkey to provide dental care to Syrian refugees. Unfortunately, he, his wife Yusor and her sister Razan Abu-Salha were shot to death in North Carolina in a hate crime on Feb. 10, 2015. Each year, MY Family Pantry at MY Project USA commemorates him and Abu-Salhas in February. We paused our dental drive during the pandemic, but we are reviving it.

Goal: 2,500 supplies / $1,500

We are aiming to distribute more than 2,500 tubes of toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss and mouthwash to 500 refugees and needy families in Columbus who can’t afford them. We serve more than 500 families at our pantry weekly.

Please donate using the button below or send your donations through the following options.

• Website: www.myprojectusa.org/donors
• Zelle Direct Deposit ID: info@myprojectusa.org
• Venmo ID: MYProjectUSA

Drop Off Locations:
3275 Sullivant Ave., Columbus, OH 43204
4730 Cemetery Rd., Hilliard, OH 43026

More Info: (614) 373-9360 I pantry@myprojectusa.org

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

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.  During Business Hours Only
• Global Gifts & Thrift (NEW) - 4730 Cemetery Rd. Hilliard, OH 43206.  During 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.