| December, 2007
Dhil Hajj 1428 |
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Eid Greetings From United Muslim Foundation
Assalumu Alaikum, Peace Be with you,
As the year 2007 draws to a close, and this Eid-ul-Adha is upon us, United Muslim Foundation would like to thank you for the support and encouragement you have given us for the last 4 years to make all of the work we do at UMF possible. We have been soup kitchens to feed the hungry, organized interfaith events, wrapped gifts for children in need, made bowls for the hungry, raised money for orphans, collected food and clothing for the poor, spent time with disabled and abused children, increasing unity among the Muslims, holding Arabic classes, and much more.
Yet, even as we celebrate the many successes that have only been possible through your support, it is necessary for us to begin planning for the future. Much work remains in the areas of creating unity, educating society, and serving humanity - work that requires not only the manpower of our volunteers, but also the financial backing of our donors.
By donating to United Muslim Foundation, you will be doing your part to help clarify misconception about Islam and plant seeds of unity. United Muslim Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, and as such, all donations to UMF are tax exempt
Have a Blessed Eid and a wonderful New Year.
Sincerely,
Masuma Virji
Executive Director
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Upcoming Events
Project Downtown: Orlando
12/22/2008
7:30-10 AM
United Muslim Foundation will be sponsoring the PDO event on December 22nd, 2007 at Masjid Al-Haqq in downtown Orlando. we will be making sandwiches and such on that saturday morning and distribute that to the homeless in a safe and charitable way.
We encourage everyone who is able to volunteer. masjid Al-Haqq is located on 545 W. Central Ave, Orlando, FL. if you have any questions please email info@unitedmuslimfoundation.org or call (407) 233-6046. |
Free Flu Shots
Free Flu shots are still available. Please contact Sister Fatim Manekia (Immunization Certified, R.N.) at (407) 333-1700 or (407) 467-7938 |
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Feedback from Zip Code Dawah Project
The United Muslim Foundation in collaboration with Al-Furqaan recently launched the Zip Code Da'wah Project, a mailing campaign sent to residents within the Tampa area.
The letter was created in response to a number of anti-Muslim hate crimes that have recently occurred within the region, including an arson at the Islamic Education Center of Florida and vandalism at both the St. Petersburg Islamic Center and the home of the Sejfovic family. Residents were encouraged to seek more information about Islam and request their own complimentary copy of the Holy Qur'an.
The positive effects of such work can clearly be seen in the words of one person who sent a $100 donation towards rebuilding the Islamic Education Center: "...I was very upset to hear that someone had committed such a heinous crime against you... when I told [my sister] about your letter, she said she too wanted to contribute... Everyone should have the right to worship according to their faith."
Yet, a lot more still needs to be done in the way of clearing some of the misconceptions that many people have regarding Islam and Muslims. Our work is far from over. This becomes extremely clear through the aid of one particular phone call that was received in response to our mailing. In his message, the man called the mosque a "terrorist training center" and said: "I believe Islam is nothing more than a cult...Death to Islam."
Please donate and help United Muslim Foundation to plant seeds of understanding within the community.Insha'Allah, through your help, we will be able to continue our work and make a positive difference. |
Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner Report
 United Muslim Foundation and the United Methodist Church hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 22nd. This event united Christians and Muslims, who enjoyed a grand Thanksgiving dinner prepared by a multitude of volunteers from UMF and the Church, who worked together to prepare a delicious feast.
Alhamdulillah, the event was a tremendous success and all the guests seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. There were about 200 people, and different faiths sat together in order to learn more about each other. Pastor Joe Grasser welcomed the crowd and introduced the church. Br. Mohammed Hussayn Rajmohamed of SIJPA gave a brief speech about unity followed by UMF officer Kulsum Soonasra who spoke about the objectives and goals of United Muslim Foundation and our desire to see more programs like this held in the future. |
| Arabic Class Children Showcase
On December 12th, the students from UMF's Arabic Class put on a performance for family and friends, showcasing how much of the Arabic language they have learned in just a few months. The plays and songs were all done by the students entirely in Arabic and masha-Allah the students performed beautifully!
Following the program, baked goods and gifts for foster children were sold. Alhamdullilah, we raised over $300 just that day. Thank you to all of those who volunteered their time and money to help make this event a success! We are still looking for donors to cover the cost of the gifts we have bought for the foster children and encourage you to donate toward this cause by visiting http://www.unitedmuslimfoundation.org and making your tax-deductible online donation today. |
| Gift Wrapping for Needy Kids
Lake Mary, Florida
Last month, volunteers from UMF and other local organizations wrapped gifts for the children of Kid's House, a child advocacy center located in Seminole County. The volunteers were a very diverse group, ranging from college students to professors to grandmothers. We thank all those who gave their time to help.
Allentown, Pennsylvania
On Sunday, December 2nd and Friday, December 7th, members of UMF wrapped presents for customers at the Lehigh Valley Mall to benefit local children's charities. This project was initiated by Pinebrook Services for Children, and proceeds from the fundraiser will be shared by Mercy, Camelot House, and Pinebrook Services. Our volunteers were kept busy wrapping gifts and spreading the joy of volunteering to the mall shoppers!
UMF PA also once again teamed up with Salvation Army on Dec 17th and 18th to assist in a wonderful cause -- to ensure that underprivileged children and their families will still be able to look forward to receiving toys for the holidays!
Volunteers were a great help and prepared colorful packages to put smiles on childrens faces for the holidays. |
Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme
On December 15th, 2007, UMF attended the Aga Khan Trust which showcased their on-going projects to a exclusive crowd at UCF.
The Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme (HCP) promotes the conservation and re-use of buildings and public spaces in historic cities in the Muslim World. HCP undertakes the restoration and rehabilitation of historic structures and public spaces in ways that can spur social, economic and cultural development. Individual project briefs go beyond technical restoration to address the questions of the social and environmental context, adaptive re-use, institutional sustainability and training. |
A Thank You to UMF Donors From Child Aid International
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Masuma Virji
United Muslim Foundation, Inc.
407-804-1504 | |
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