Religion News Service reports:
A Muslim-led crowdfunding campaign has raised nearly $500,000 to offer micro-grants to low-income American families whose livelihoods have been hurt by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Facing a “tsunami” of requests for aid, the coronavirus relief campaign has already sent assistance checks of between $250 to $1,000 to more than 660 households across the country, benefitting about 2,100 individuals of all and no faiths.
The initiative, which began March 14 on the Muslim crowdfunding platform LaunchGood, was organized by Islamic educational non-profit CelebrateMercy, relief organization Penny Appeal USA and the Islamic Center at New York University…
“The Prophet Mohammed said the most beloved people to God are those who benefit others most,” Tarek El-Messidi, director of CelebrateMercy, explained. “Knowing that so many millions were going to lose jobs, to struggle to make ends meet, to pay rent, to pay bills, to pay for child care, we felt it was an immediate need and we wanted to help alleviate it for as many people as possible.”
