Assalam Aleikum,

I delivered the check and cash (a total of $1500) to Aishah today. She burst into tears and became speechless when I informed her over the phone before I went.

I showed them the posts regarding their situation and the donation results on HalfDate.com when I was there.

Aishah asked me to compose a letter to express her gratitude for all the people involved in helping out her family. Insha Allah, I’ll do so on her behalf soon.

Click here to read previous updates

If you have similar stories of giving, please share them at http://mysadaqahstories.com

Visit to learn more: http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/

It’s hard to overstate the crisis facing charitable giving today. So let me just say it as plainly as I can: Much of current philanthropic giving, by foundations and individuals, neither meets the needs of our charitable organizations nor addresses some of our most urgent public needs.

Foundation practices today are too bureaucratic, inflexible and cautious, and too focused on short-term objectives. Too often, the process and procedures of grant making are more tailored to the needs of foundations and their trustees than to the requirements of nonprofits.

What can foundations and others do to make a difference for the nonprofits and the people they are designed to help?

Read here to find out: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574481773446591750.html

Here is an update received about the widow and orphans of imam Shuaib.

May Allah reward all those who helped with the sweetest date in Jannah.

***The sister (widow/mother of 7) really disliked accepting help, she wanted a job. Their condition, however, REALLY needs help according to the brother who visited the family last weekend.

So the brother collected $1000, a masjid donated $1000, some Muslims from the same masjid donated $575, and an organization is giving $500. ($3075 total).

A very exciting good news is that a Muslim family in the area needs a nanny for two kids. Insha Allah, they will hire her.

By the way, the mother is an expert on cooking. If you know anyone or masjid needs meals for a large gathering (in the Los Angeles area), please let me know or you can contact her directly at (C) xxxxxxx. Shuaib bought her a professional stove years ago. She always cooked food for Masjid during Ramadan.

Bismillah

Imam Shuaib (may Allah have mercy on him, passed away a few years ago) was an imam in Los Angeles area. He passed away a few years ago from an illness and many Muslims attended his Janaza.

The sad thing many of us don’t know his hardship and the condition of his family after his passing.

We urge you to read this post completely and forward it to other Muslims, because the Prophet (peace and prayer be upon him) used to make sure that the needs of widows and orphans are met.

Below is an account from a sister who visited the family recently.

Assalam Aleikum,

I just talked to Shuaib’s wife. After one year of his death, the wife
and the seven kids (aged from 5 to 17) are now facing the eviction
from their rented house. Alhamdulilah, the wife found a two-bedroom
apartment but couldn’t afford the rent. In the mean time, they are
forced to leave the currently rented house by June 22nd.

The family actually went into poverty (almost) while Shuaib was still alive. He was forced to sell his books in sharply discounted price just to collect enough money to pay the rent and utility. After he left, the family was once living in the darkness because they couldn’t pay the electricity.

The wife, unfortunately, doesn’t read or write English. Because of this, some people take advantage of her. It’s a great shame since they are Muslims. This is also why we cannot let people send checks directly to her. I’m not sure if she could handle that.

The wife found herself jobs two times during this year, one as a nanny
(maid + baby sitter) and the other in a gas station. Both of them
ended unexpectedly. If you know anyone who needs a nanny, please let
me know.

Can we help them to raise $4000 in this short period of time? I talked
to the director of Masjid Salam where Shuaib was the former director
before he passed away. The current director (Shuaib’s brother)
promised to help raising as much as possible. Let’s do our best, insha
Allah, to help the family to walk out of the sadness. They need help
to establish the first step.

Please do not reveal that the wife of Shuaib is asking for help.
Here’s the breakdown of the needed $4000:

Rent: $1200 per month — needs to pay the first and the last months
upon moving in, which totals in $2400.
Application fee: $300
Electricity for the first month: $100.
Foods for the first month: $500.
Moving expenses: $900.

In the mean time, we still try to see if it’s possible to waive that
$300 application fee which is unreasonable since she doesn’t have any
credit to be checked in the first place.

Let me know soon, insha Allah!

By the way, where is the place that she can go and sign up for a job?

The family actually went into poverty (almost) while Shuaib was still
alive. He was forced to sell his books in sharply discounted price
just to collect enough money to pay the rent and utility. After he
left, the family was once living in the darkness because they couldn’t
pay the electricity.

The wife, unfortunately, doesn’t read or write English. Because of
this, some people take advantage of her. It’s a great shame since they
are Muslims. This is also why we cannot let people send checks
directly to her. I’m not sure if she could handle that.

To help, finish the current drive first. So, we can ask lenders to extend the current loan for this sister.

Click here to help: http://halfdate.com/2010/06/05/sharing-the-burden-sharing-the-fruits/

Sickness can strike at any moment.

You think you are immune? Think again!

Please pray for her. Sister T is a revert sister.

Bismilleh,

Asalaamu alaikum,

May Allah bless you in all your endeavors.

I wanted to let you know about what’s going on in my life. I’ve been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis recently. Typing this letter to you is painful. I had to stop my job last month, have to get trained on a speaking to typing device and can’t walk more than a block without being in a lot of pain. Subhan Allah, to me this is a blessing in disguise, as it is making me take losing weight more seriously (to relieve my body of the stress on my joints).

I’ve applied for social security for disabilities but that won’t come into effect for about 4 months. Masha’Allah, my family rounded up money to give me for a months rent and to see a rheumatologist ($200 first session. SO expensive). Student financial aid comes at the end of August, insha’Allah, so things will be much simpler then :) Yet, I still need 2 months of rent, medication and follow-up visits to the rheumatologist this summer. That’s a whopping $850! I do not have that and neither does my family.

So what I was wondering is if you could see if there would be any brothers and sisters who could loan me that amount and I pay them back at the end of August/by Sept. 1 this fall, insha’Allah. My financial aid package is good and I would be able to pay that back with no problems. I would also give a substantial amount in “paying it forward”, insha’Allah :)

I’ve been making du’a for Allah to give me relief and peace of mind about my temporary financial situation. If I could work this problem would not be, but since I had to stop my job at school, I have no income. Please, akh, if you could put the word out that I need help, that would be such a blessing to me.

Be well, take care and continue to be a blessing.

Was-salam,

Sister T

To help, finish the current drive first. So, we can ask lenders to extend the current loan for this sister.

Click here to help: http://halfdate.com/2010/06/05/sharing-the-burden-sharing-the-fruits/

We decided to run a parallel drive, HalfDate has already lent her $1000. So, if you want to donate to HalfDate, you can use the chipin button below.

Please vote for one of the following polls (when you vote, it means you will help to raise the money).

A disclaimer: HalfDate lent some money to some needy families and they can’t pay back the loans. So, in a way, you are helping us to continue HalfDate service. So, if one of these drives got selected, we will take what they owe us and give anything extra to them (if their condition still qualifies for Zakah or give to some other needy families).

According to the article appeared on ScienceDaily.com (2010-03-10) “Good acts — acts of kindness, generosity and cooperation — spread just as easily as bad. And it takes only a handful of individuals to really make a difference.”

Here are some lesson learned from the article:

• 
  

  This diagram illustrates how a single act of kindness can spread between individuals and across time. Cooperative behavior spreads three degrees of separation: if Eleni increases her contribution to the public good, it benefits Lucas (one degree of separation), who gives more when paired with Erika (two degrees of separation) in period 2, who gives more when paired with Jay (three degrees of separation) in period 3, who gives more when paired with Brecken in period 4. The effects also persist over time, so that Lucas gives more when paired with Erika (period 2) and also when paired with Lysander (period 3), Bemy (period 4), Sebastian (period 5), and Nicholas (period 6). The effect also persists at two degrees of separation, as Erika not only gives more when paired with Jay (period 3), but also when paired with Harla (period 4) and James (period 5). All the paths in this illustrative cascade are supported by results in the experiments, and it is important to note that if Eleni decreases her initial contribution then her uncooperative behavior can spread and persist as well. (Credit: Courtesy James Fowler, UC San Diego)

• The effect persists, Fowler said: “You don’t go back to being your ‘old selfish self.”’ As a result, the money a person gives in the first round of the experiment is ultimately tripled by others who are subsequently (directly or indirectly) influenced to give more. “The network functions like a matching grant,” Christakis said.

• Groups with altruists in them will be more altruistic as a whole and more likely to survive than selfish groups

Sometimes we get urgent requests like this.

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu…I am Sister R**** of Laurel, Maryland and I am married with 5 children and my husband has been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and is without therapy and without medication and often goes into sparatic rages causing myself and the children to leave the house abruptly or call the authorities due to him being out of control and causing us emotional and physical harm. When he is in this state his awareness or concern for our wellbeing and finances is non-existent. So this time the police had to be called and our rent is past due $1400 and the landlord is calling and the internet bill is due to be cut off on March 15, 2010 and we use that for homeschooling and that is about $184.00. I have food stamps currently so I am not in need of food alhamdulillah but the state does not give me cash assistance and I was not a working woman outside of the home, I only worked inside taking care of my home and children maashaa allah. Sister Nadia MacIntosh referred me to this resource and I am praying that you are able to assist me as soon as possible inshaa allah ta ala.

That’s why we will create a rainy day fund.

We keep getting more requests than we can feature on a monthly DateDrive.