📢 **For Sale: The Previously Proposed Site For The Issa Jeylani Memorial Recreational Center**

Decision Comes After A Year-Long Extensive Campaign For Capital Funding Availing No Support From The State And Local Elected Officials  

Lack of Funds & Cash Flow Crisis Drove The Decision

Quest For A Ready To Use Building For The Recreation Center Continues

More Programs May Need To Be Cut Due to Lack of Funds

Dear Family, 

As I told you, we had to make difficult decisions in our board meeting last week. 

After a long and challenging struggle to secure the necessary funds from the State and City of Columbus, the Board of Directors of MY Project USA concluded that we do not have capacity to raise additional millions of dollars all alone to build a brand new building from scratch. Therefore, we made the incredibly difficult and heartbreaking decision to put the land that was meant for the Issa Jeylani Recreation Center up for sale, return the borrowed money and look for a rental space to open the IJM Recreational Center.

As I shared last week, the organization has faced significant financial strain since October last year. We are low by $200,000 in public donations. This situation is exacerbated by a severe cash flow crisis. Our reliance on TANF grants has led to a delay in reimbursements, which has unfortunately drained our resources.

Earlier this year we closed our gift store for the same reason. Selling this land is also necessary to lower the burden on the organization. We are doing everything we can to keep the rest of our community and youth programs going, but the severe lack of funds while we wait on reimbursements from government grants is a huge problem.

Next up is MY Family Pantry which is currently know as Mid-Ohio Market at MY Project USA. Our contract with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective has come to an end and they are not paying for paid staff anymore. Our volunteers are willing to run it on Saturdays for free but that is not enough. It currently serves 600 plus families (2500 individuals) a week. 65% clients come on weekdays. We must raise at least $150,000 by September 30th to keep its doors open four days a week. We will consider cutting the days and employees if we do not meet our target in the next 30 days.

We are evaluating other departments as well. Please step up to help, donate, volunteer, pray. Do whatever you can to help us continue our transformational services to thousands of people every week. 

In Solidarity with Youth & Families, 

Zerqa Abid,

Founder, President & Executive Director

🌟 Urgent Appeal: Help Us Feed the Children 🌟

All Free Hot Meals Funds Are Depleted 

Due to an ongoing cash flow crisis, we regret to announce that all funds for our free hot meals program have been depleted. As a result, MY Project USA is no longer able to independently fund the free meals we provide.

This summer, we served over 100 children two nutritious meals daily, and throughout the year, we ensure that every child participating in our youth programming receives free meals. Imagine a world where these children are left without proper nutrition or support—hungry children are easy prey and their challenges are magnified in a food desert like ours, where poverty is rampant and easily accessible resources are scarce.

We urgently need your help to continue feeding these children and preserving their future. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference. Please consider donating to support our mission and ensure that no child goes hungry. We also accept in-kind donations from restaurants that may want to provide meals we can distribute. No effort is wasted! Together, we can make a difference. Donate today and help us continue to provide the vital support these children need. 💙

Youth Leaders Took Part in the 19th Annual South Central Hilltop Day Out festival!

We were proud to have MY Leaders Lab Youth Leaders represent MY Project USA at the 19th Annual South Central Hilltop Day Out festival on Aug 10th! MY Community Café provided a $25 gift card for the raffle draw, and youth leaders served popcorn and cotton candy, answered questions, manned our booth, and got to meet our friends and neighbors living and working in the Hilltop! Youth leaders split into 4 groups and each worked on learning about advocacy, information sharing, relationship building, and community service. It was an amazing event for community building while having fun! This week marks the end of the summer session of MY Leaders Lab, but our work never ends and (hopefully) neither will our programs! Stay tuned for more summer updates, and for the start of our regular year round sessions! 

Upcoming Hilltop Free Clinic Dates! 

Mark your calendars for our upcoming Hilltop Free Clinic dates! 

Full Check-Ups (by appointment only): 9/14

Blood Sugar/Blood Pressure Screenings (walk-ins welcome!): 8/24 & 9/17. We are also planning to host a vision screening on Sept. 17 in partnership with OSU Optometry students.

To make an appointment, contact us at FreeClinic@MYProjectUSA.org or 614-886-7849.

MY Deah's Warehouse:

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

We Are Looking For More Locations

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.

We will collect the items from the bins weekly (or more frequently as needed) and sort them in our warehouse. Once organized, we offer the items for free to clients in the communities we serve. Some items are also sold at Global Gifts & Thrift, a retail location in Hilliard that is based on the Goodwill model. All proceeds of these sales go toward funding our programs.

Our organization will ensure that the area around the bins remains clean. Please contact Nasir Shinwari at (614) 905-0977 with questions or if you are interested in partnering with us. Thank you!