In honor of Ramadan, we are spotlighting our community partner: Muslim Housing Services.
We interviewed Salma Rizwi, operations manager of Muslim Housing Services to learn more about their community efforts, including the Zakat Al-Fitr Food Drive, which Delta Dental of Washington is honored to sponsor.
How does Muslim Housing Services serve the community?
Since 1999, Muslim Housing Services (MHS) has been dedicated to housing the homeless and preventing homelessness, bringing relief and hope to thousands of families across the greater Seattle area in Washington State. Through a comprehensive approach, we address the diverse needs of low-income families below the poverty line, immigrant refugees, and families transitioning out of homelessness.
Our programs include transitional housing, rapid re-housing with tailored rent assistance, homeless prevention services for those facing eviction, and a diversion program that provides immediate, flexible assistance to individuals and families without a safe place to stay, ensuring no one is left behind. We also manage a small women’s shelter bringing respite to homeless single women and victims of domestic abuse.
Beyond providing a roof over their heads, our goal is to create sustainable pathways to self-sufficiency and permanent housing, empowering families to rebuild their lives and thrive. At MHS, we believe in building stronger, healthier communities by providing stability, opportunity and hope for all, securing a future where every family has the chance to succeed and sustain themselves.
Tell us about the Zakat Al-Fitr Food Drive.
The Zakat Al-Fitr Food Drive is one of our most cherished initiatives, dedicated to ensuring that every family in need, including children, can enjoy nutritious meals during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Eid. The food is distributed to families in our homeless and homeless prevention programs. These families are often overburdened, balancing the challenges of securing basic necessities while caring for their children. We also serve immigrant refugees, and others experiencing food insecurity. Our focus is on providing culturally appropriate staples such as rice, flour, sugar, cooking oil, and meat to honor and meet the dietary preferences of those we serve.
How do sponsorships impact your work?
Having financial backing is vital to our ability to serve effectively. It allows us to plan and execute programs with consistency and reach more people in need. With strong financial support, we can secure more food. It strengthens our ability to show compassion and support for the community with both immediacy and sustainability in mind.
Thank you to Delta Dental of Washington for their generous contribution to this year’s Zakat Al-Fitr Program. We truly appreciate your efforts to help make this initiative a success!
As a not-for-profit dental benefits company, Delta Dental of Washington knows that to accomplish our mission and reach our vision we need to ensure equitable resources and opportunities for all. Access to healthy food is an important part of maintaining good oral health. Experiencing homelessness or the risk of eviction is a significant barrier to being able to prioritize seeking dental care. Partnering with organizations like Muslim Housing Services helps us better understand and support the needs of all our members and protect their opportunity to have a healthy mouth.
