Lebanon – John Janney Foundation

Posted on March 31, 2025 by johnjanney

Baitulmaal Delivered Food for 150K Ramadan Meals to Families in Lebanon

SIDON, LEBANON MARCH 31, 2025 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages that provided 150,000 meals to vulnerable families living in Sidon and Arsal during the holy month of Ramadan.

Approximately 500 families each received essential food packages containing rice, halawah, zaatar, tea, lentils, pasta, canned goods and cooking oil.

According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, most of the beneficiaries were orphan families, women, and Lebanese and Syrian refugees.

“The smiles, the gratitude, the sense of relief—it all showed how much a simple meal can mean to someone,” Sherif said.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 90% of Syrian refugee families in Lebanon live in extreme poverty, often relying entirely on humanitarian aid to survive.

In addition to providing Ramadan food packages in Lebanon, Baitulmaal has also provided fresh meat for Udhiyah, winter relief, emergency health kits and medical supplies, and installed electric generators to provide water. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

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Posted on July 24, 2024 by johnjanney

Baitulmaal Distributes Fresh Meat for 2K+ Meals to Families in Lebanon

SIDON, LEBANON July 15, 2024 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed fresh meat for 2,173 meals to impoverished families in Lebanon during the sacred season of Udhiyah.

Approximately 700 families living in Sidon received fresh meat from locally-sourced and humanely-slaughtered cows. The distribution aimed to address nutritional needs while contributing to improved morale and promoting social inclusion among populations experiencing hardship or displacement.

According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, most recipients included refugees, orphan families, women, and children.

“This season teaches us gratitude and generosity,” Sherif said. “Seeing these families receive fresh meat — something many hadn’t had in months — was a powerful act of unity in Islam.”

According to the World Food Programme, as of early 2025, nearly 30 percent of Lebanon’s population faces acute food insecurity, with approximately 1.65 million people experiencing crisis or emergency levels.

In addition to providing fresh meat for Udhiyah in Lebanon, Baitulmaal has also provided Ramadan food packages, winter relief, emergency health kits and medical supplies, and installed electric generators to provide water. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

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Posted on April 24, 2024March 17, 2026 by johnjanney

371.9K Ramadan Meals Distributed to Orphans, Families in Lebanon

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BEIRUT, LEBANON April 24, 2024 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages that provided more than 371,900 meals to orphans and families in Lebanon in time for the Ramadan season.

Approximately 1,476 families received food packages that contained essentials such as rice, sugar, lentils, chickpeas, salt, spaghetti, vegetable oil, and beans. According to Elora Bashir, program operations manager at Baitulmaal, these families included 262 donor-sponsored orphan families residing in Sidon and Tyre, and 93 additional orphan families living in Palestinian refugee camps.

“With the ongoing economic collapse that Lebanon is facing, families struggle to afford food as the prices continue to rise,” Bashir said. “Our donors alleviated these families’ stress during Ramadan so they didn’t have to worry whether they’ll have food on the table every night.”

According to the World Bank, the Lebanon crisis is classified as one of the top 10 most severe economic crises globally since the 19th century. Lebanon is also home to Syrian, Palestinian, and other refugees, and approximately 74 per cent of the population living in poverty according to the UN.

In addition to food assistance in Lebanon, Baitulmaal has also provided winter relief, emergency health kits and medical supplies, and installed electric generators to provide water. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

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Posted on January 1, 2024 by johnjanney

Baitulmaal Supports 18 Educational Centers in Lebanon

BEIRUT, LEBANON January 1, 2024 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently provided financial support to 18 educational centers in Lebanon to help cover operational costs, equipment and staff salaries.

These educational centers are located across Akkar, the Bekaa, and Beirut. According to Ahmed Sherif, senior manager of international programs at Baitulmaal, the project aims to access education, advance gender equality, and support lifelong learning through vocational training for youth and adults.

“We’ve seen firsthand how this support has helped schools stay open and teachers stay motivated,” Sherif said. “It’s not just funding—it’s stability for hundreds of students and their families.”

According to UNICEF, 1 in 4 children in Lebanon is currently out of school, making support for educational infrastructure and staffing critical to preventing long-term learning gaps.

In addition to providing financial support to schools in Lebanon, Baitulmaal has also provided Ramadan food packages, winter relief, emergency health kits and medical supplies, and installed electric generators to provide water. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

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Posted on July 12, 2023March 18, 2026 by johnjanney

Fresh Meat for 9,736 Meals Distributed in Lebanon

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BEIRUT, LEBANON July 12, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed fresh meat for 9,736 meals to vulnerable families suffering from food insecurity in Lebanon, as part of the Islamic season of Udhiyah.

Approximately 614 families living in Sidon and Tyre were given fresh meat from locally-sourced and humanely-slaughtered sheep or cows.

The beneficiaries included orphan families, women-headed households, pregnant women, and Palestinian refugees, according to Elizabeth Sohail, program development manager at Baitulmaal.

“Mothers caring for children while struggling with extreme poverty worry about feeding their children,” said Sohail. “Thanks to our donors, we were able to provide meat to alleviate these worries during Eid ul-Adha.”

According to the United Nations, the population of Lebanon is around 5.5 million, and it is estimated that 2 million face food insecurity across the country due to multiple crises.

In addition to seasonal Islamic giving programs, Baitulmaal coordinates emergency aid efforts, water, hygiene and sanitation projects, orphan support programs and other humanitarian aid to under-served populations regardless of faith or nationality. To learn more or donate to these programs, visit johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.

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Posted on June 2, 2023March 18, 2026 by johnjanney

More Than 1.4M Ramadan Meals Distributed in Lebanon

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SIDON, LEBANON June 2, 2023 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed Ramadan food packages that provided over 1.4 million meals in Lebanon.

The first distribution provided food assistance to approximately 5,150 families living in Palestinian refugee camps in Tripoli, Akkar, and Beqaa Valley. The second distribution provided for approximately 253 families living in Sidon and Tyre.

Beneficiaries received a month’s worth of items such as rice, sugar, salt, onions, dates, and cooking oil. According to Elizabeth Sohail, program development manager at Baitulmaal, recipients include Baitulmaal-sponsored orphans, their families, and many other families struggling with food insecurity.

“Ramadan is a time to enjoy a meal with your loved ones,” Sohail said. “We wanted to ensure that vulnerable orphans and their families will not be left hungry this Ramadan.”

Due to the economic crisis in Lebanon, living costs rose dramatically, which prevented families from accessing enough food and other basic needs each day. Growing unemployment and poverty, skyrocketing inflation rates and the ongoing instability have contributed to a deterioration of food security for children and families.

In addition, Baitulmaal provides medical aid, winter aid, and emergency aid in Lebanon. If you would like to learn more or contribute to similar programs at Baitulmaal, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

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Posted on July 15, 2022March 17, 2026 by johnjanney

Fresh Meat for 4,360 Meals Distributed to Orphan Families in Lebanon

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BEIRUT, LEBANON July 15, 2022 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed fresh meat for 4,360 meals to families caring for orphans in Lebanon as part of the Islamic season of Udhiyah earlier this week.

Approximately 1,014 families living in Sidon, Tyre, Arsal and the Bekaa Valley were given fresh meat from locally-sourced and humanely-slaughtered sheep or cows. Recipients included refugees and 144 families and caretakers of 212 orphans sponsored by Baitulmaal donors.

In many Muslim-majority countries, fresh meat is often procured through charitable gifts on occasions like the Udhiyah, a practice that commemorates Prophet Abraham’s sacrifice and takes place during the Hajj pilgrimage. This year, Baitulmaal distributed fresh meat for approximately 160,000 meals to beneficiaries in various poverty-stricken and conflict ridden areas of the world.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

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Posted on April 17, 2022March 17, 2026 by johnjanney

265,750 Meals Distributed in Lebanon

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BEIRUT, LEBANON April 17, 2022 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently completed the distribution of food packages that provide 265,750 meals to families in Lebanon in time for the Ramadan season.

Recipients included 730 Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese families that reside in Saida City, including Palestinian refugee camps, and 300 who live in Tyre City. In total, 1,030 families received food packages that contained flour, sugar, oil, pasta, canned vegetables, and other non-perishable goods. According to Elizabeth Sohail, program manager at Baitulmaal, many of these items have been out of reach for many families in Lebanon.

“Even working families struggle to purchase food because of soaring prices, let alone those who have been out of work or live in refugee camps,” Sohail said. “Our donors came through for these families and they are so grateful for their compassion.”

Baitulmaal delivered approximately 4 million meals to those in need around the world this past Ramadan. The charity also provides food, water, healthcare and other aid to people in Lebanon. If you would like to learn more or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Texas, the charity has domestic offices and representatives in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey as well as international offices in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.

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Posted on January 27, 2022March 17, 2026 by johnjanney

1,000 Families in Lebanon Receive Emergency Food Aid

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BEIRUT, LEBANON, January 27, 2022 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian nonprofit, recently distributed food packages to 1,000 impoverished Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian families in Lebanon.

Families living in Beirut, Beqaa, Saida in south Lebanon and Akkar in the north received food packages that contained staples such as rice, flour, oil, beans, lentils, pasta and sugar. According to Elizabeth Sohail, program manager at Baitulmaal, recipients included widows, disabled persons or refugee families.

“Many people in Lebanon have been impacted by the economic collapse,” Sohail said. “The most vulnerable among them – the sick, old, and unemployed – simply won’t survive without humanitarian intervention, which highlights why our donors are so important to families struggling in Lebanon.”

Approximately 78 percent of the Lebanese population has fallen into poverty, according to the World Bank. A catastrophic port explosion combined with a global pandemic and political turmoil has made food and services unaffordable for a majority of Lebanon’s 6.8 million residents, including nearly half a million Palestinian refugees and 1.5 million Syrian refugees living in refugee camps in Lebanon.

Baitulmaal responded to the devastating port blast in 2020, sent $1.2 million in hard-to-find medications and another $1.1 million in medical equipment to Beirut hospitals, reconstructed homes and buildings, installed generators and wells, and provided food packages to alleviate hunger. If you would like to learn more or contribute to these programs at Baitulmaal, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/.

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian nonprofit that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the charity has offices and representatives in: Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Nairobi, Kenya; Mogadishu, Somalia; Amman and Al Ramtha, Jordan; and Karachi, Pakistan.

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Posted on December 27, 2021March 18, 2026 by johnjanney

385 Families in Lebanon Receive Winter Warmth

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SIDON, LEBANON, December 27, 2021 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian relief agency, recently distributed winter aid to 385 Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese families residing in impoverished communities and refugee camps in Lebanon.

The families, mostly refugees, received food and winter essentials such as clothing, shoes, blankets and electric heaters. The aid was distributed to families living in tents and other non-permanent shelters in Arsal as well as Ein el Helwe in Sidon, which is considered to be Lebanon’s most heavily populated refugee camp.

According to Elizabeth Sohail, program manager at Baitulmaal, these families have been struggling with severe food insecurity and have been unable to meet basic needs. While many experienced hardship before the financial crisis struck the country nearly two years ago, these families have now been pushed under the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket, a tool used by the World Food Programme to measure the minimum amount a household requires to maintain existence and cover lifesaving needs.

“We needed to ensure that these families had enough food and warmth to make it through the winter,” Sohail said. “It gets very cold in Lebanon and with the country struggling as a whole, it’s crucial we address the needs of the most vulnerable. We are so grateful for our donors who have enabled us to do so.”

Political instability, an ongoing pandemic, a catastrophic explosion and an influx of refugees from countries like Syria have contributed to Lebanon’s strained financial situation. The World Bank recently declared that the country is “likely to rank in the top 10, possibly top three, most severe crisis episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century.” Approximately 1 in 4 people in Lebanon is a refugee, giving Lebanon the highest per capita refugee population in the world.

Baitulmaal was on the ground in Lebanon responding to the devastating port blast in 2020, and has sent $1.2 million in hard-to-find medications and another $1.1 million in medical equipment to Beirut hospitals. The charity also reconstructed homes and buildings, installed generators and wells, and provided food packages to alleviate hunger. If you would like to learn more about or contribute to Baitulmaal’s efforts in Lebanon, please visit their website at johnjanney.org/

Baitulmaal is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides life-saving, life-sustaining and life-enriching aid to people in need around the world. With headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the charity has offices and representatives in: Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Nairobi, Kenya; Mogadishu, Somalia; Amman and Al Ramtha, Jordan; and Karachi, Pakistan.

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