Source/Credit: Miami Islam Examiner
By Mansura Minhas | December 30, 2011
Come November and it’s just not the changing fall colors and the increasing chill in the air that captivates our attention. Festive mood sets in and people gear up efforts and start preparing for the Holiday Season which can rightfully be termed the ‘Season of Giving and Sharing’.
However in trying economic times, increasing numbers of families in America find themselves in a quagmire as the holiday season sets in. For those struggling to make ends meet, their woes are exacerbated as it is impossible for them to partake in the joy of giving due to financial constraints. This can be particularly tough for children of such families.
According to a recent survey conducted by US Conference of Mayors, the gap between the haves and have-nots continues to widen. The survey of 29 cities reveals that hunger is on the rise along with homelessness.
In these uncertain times, Lajna Imaillah, the women’s auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, along with other organizations gears up its efforts and does its utmost to help the local communities. Lajna Imaillah’s Miami chapter has adopted Broward Outreach Center’s Hollywood campus since 2009, as a part of its long term commitment to serve the homeless, hapless and needy of South Florida. BOC organized a Thanksgiving banquet where Lajna Imaillah pitched in by sponsoring a cotton candy rental at the festival. It was a huge success and very popular with younger adults and kids.
For Christmas, Lajna Imiallah provided sugar cookies (with frosting and sprinkles to decorate) and candies for the kids along with juice. They also helped three families who had various needs by sponsoring Gift cards for them. For the 14 children residing at BOC in Hollywood, gifts were donated and packed by the young girls belonging to Nasirat-ul Ahmadiyya- the auxiliary of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that is responsible for the moral and spiritual training of young girls- ages 7-15.
Earlier in October, Lajna Imaillah had donated 100+ hygiene items for the ongoing HOPE TOTE drive for BOC.
Other notable activities of Lajna Imaillah in November and December included:
On Christmas Eve, 25 gift bags were delivered to sick children at Holtz Children’s Hospital at UM/Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
Hepburn Center is a non-profit Community Center which serves the under-privileged and needy of Hallandale Beach. The Center operates a subsidized afterschool program for the children of the neighborhood. Their holiday wish list included board games for children. Lajna Imaillah was able to donate 11 board games to the Center. It regularly conducts a monthly canned food drive for Hepburn Center as well.
Treats for Soldiers is a nonprofit organization based in Hallandale Beach. It regularly packs and sends gifts to soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. November 11 marked Veteran’s Day. To pay tribute to the servicemen and servicewomen serving our nation, Lajna Imaillah regularly collects gifts for them. In November, 86 items from the soldiers’ wish list were gifted.
Lajna Imaillah translates into ‘Maidservants of God’. They are living up to their core mission and doing their utmost to help those in need, as they consider service to humanity a primary cause that is enjoined upon them by their faith- Islam. Their website outlines their goal as:
To provide maximum service to the poor, helpless and needy without any discrimination of race, religion or nationality. Khidmat-e-Khalq, or the social services department, is focused on internally helping one another in the Ahmadiyya Community, as well as external outreach to the surrounding communities. This is achieved through prayers, community service, donations, volunteer work and advocacy. Khidmat-e-Khalq, or social welfare, is an integral part of our worship. http://www.lajnausa.net/web/Khidmat-e-Khalq
And they do just that!
For more info:
www.lajnausa.net
www.ahmadiyya.us
www.alsilam.org
Read original post here: Lajna Imaillah partners in the ‘Season of Sharing and Giving’
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