We have exciting news! On Sunday, January 17th, our Imam, Asim Buyuksoy and his wife Azima welcomed a healthy baby boy named Mustafa into the world, alhamdulillah. Over the next few weeks, please pay close attention to the normal class schedule as his availability is limited.

Thank you for all of your continued support and we look forward to seeing you in the days to come.

In peace,

The Islamic Center of Southern California

by Kristen Stangas

Have you seen the signs for our "Serve + Connect" events? Do you know what they are promoting?  

A group of us here at the Center have started coordinating monthly community service opportunities.  These events were established with two main goals in mind: 1) To go beyond talking about the importance of helping those who are less fortunate, and put that into action, and 2) To connect with our brothers and sisters through service, which requires communication and teamwork.

This past Sunday, Jan. 17, we met at the Union Rescue Mission (URM) on Skid Row to serve dinner to the homeless.  Our volunteers ranged from ages 15 to 60 and included men, women, and teens. Although some people were local to Los Angeles, others drove in from Chino, Northridge, La Ca�ada, Glendale, and the South Bay to participate in the event.  A few of us had volunteered at the URM before, but for others, it was an eye-opening, first-time experience. 

We started out the evening by making our intention to do this service for God and then got to work.  Over the course of 3 1/2 hours, we served four dinner services.  We rotated stations throughout the night, taking on new tasks and getting to know new people.  In order to make this dinner run smoothly, we needed people to work the hot food stations, hand out soda, pass out ice cream, cut vegetables, clean tables, and help with other kitchen tasks.  This experience is what you make it - if you put your heart into it and take the time to greet each person as they come down the line and smile, the impact of this volunteer work can resound deeply.  You have the opportunity to engage in a conversation with someone who might otherwise feel unseen or unheard.  It is truly a beautiful experience.

Alhamdulillah, all of the volunteer spots filled up within 12 hours of announcing the event this month (the Union Rescue Mission has a limit of 15 volunteers per dinner service).  Our next "Serve + Connect" event is scheduled for Feb. 21 from 4:15 - 8 p.m.  If you were unable to attend this month, please RSVP as soon as possible in order to reserve your spot for February!

If you're a Rewards Card member, it's easy for you to donate a portion of every purchase to our New Horizon School through the Ralphs Community Contribution Program.  By linking your existing Rewards Card to our non-profit ID number, you can benefit our school by just buying your groceries!

For additional information, please link to the instructions on our ICSC website.