Category: News & Updates

Posted on by

724,680 Meals Delivered to Families in Yemen

IBB, YEMEN, December 3, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian aid organization, with funding support from global activism nonprofit Avaaz, distributed 1,342 food packages providing an estimated 724,680 meals to families suffering from acute malnutrition during the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The aid is in response to food insecurity experienced by refugee and host communities in Ibb – Directorate of Dhihar and Al-Mishnah Al Hudayda – Al Barea District, with the focus on women-headed households and financially marginalized families. The food baskets contained staples such as flour, rice, sugar, oil and canned vegetables for a total of 8,052 individuals.

Elizabeth Sohail, programs manager at Baitulmaal, said the food delivery is part of a larger effort to get critical aid to displaced families facing worsening hardships in Yemen.

“People there are hungrier, sicker, and more vulnerable,” said Sohail. “These food packages can be the difference between life and death for many families.”

The United Nations describes Yemen as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 80 percent of the population reliant on humanitarian aid. According to their Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis of malnutrition in southern Yemen, acute cases in children under five reached a new high, increasing about 10 percent in 2020 to more than half a million. This rise is due in part to recent flooding, escalating conflict, economic decline, significant underfunding and the coronavirus pandemic.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres issued a statement on November 20, 2020, that “Yemen is now in imminent danger of the worst famine the world has seen for decades” and that millions of people could die without immediate action. Sofia Latif, senior operations officer at Avaaz, said teaming up with Baitulmaal was an avenue to provide essential life-saving support.

“Yemen is being ravaged by civil war, a cholera epidemic, massive starvation and now a global pandemic,” said Latif. “We felt an imperative to work with a reputable charity to get food to the starving and water to the thirsty in hopes that we can save lives that might otherwise be lost through inaction.”

Since 2018, Baitulmaal has sent over $5.6 million in aid that provided meals, antibiotics, medical supplies, and hygiene kits to Yemen. If you would like to learn more or contribute to the emergency aid 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 Dallas, Texas, the charity has offices in: Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Nairobi, Kenya; Mogadishu, Somalia; Amman and Al Ramtha, Jordan; and Karachi, Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here

???? Click right or left to view additional images ????

???? Click right or left to view additional images ????

Posted on by

Beirut Hospital Receives Medications, Emergency Aid in Response to Explosion

BEIRUT, LEBANON, October 29, 2020 — Dallas-based charity Baitulmaal, along with Chicago-based healthcare access organization MedGlobal, delivered medications to Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut last week to support 200 patients that were impacted by the August 4 explosion in Lebanon.

The medications are part of Baitulmaal’s $686,000 emergency aid package to Lebanon, which includes food, water, hygiene kits, and financial assistance to families in need, in addition to clean-up efforts initiated after the blast.

Dr. Firass Abiad, general manager of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, said the medications will help patients “who would have been unable to afford life-saving medications during the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis in Lebanon.”

Representatives from Baitulmaal were on the ground in Lebanon shortly after the blast to assess the damage, coordinate with local partners and implement emergency aid efforts.

“We saw people struggling to put the pieces back together in the midst of damage I could not imagine until I saw it with my own eyes,” said Mazen Mokthar, executive director of Baitulmaal. “Emergency aid like medicine will help hospitals treat the wounded while they repair their facilities and restore capacity.”

According to the World Health Organization, the blast that killed 203 people, injured 6,500 and left 300,000 homeless also severely damaged Lebanon’s critical health infrastructure and led to a shortage of medical supplies.

In addition to providing hospitals with medications, Baitulmaal will be launching its Rebuild Lebanon campaign to help reconstruct homes of vulnerable families ahead of the winter season. Part of this effort will also rebuild portions of hospitals that were destroyed. Mokhtar said donations for Lebanon can be made at johnjanney.org/donate.

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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here

[Gallery — no images specified]

⬅️ Click on the left or right edge of the photo to see more ➡️

Posted on by

$4M Emergency Medical Aid Shipment Sent to Yemen

YEMEN, October 22, 2020 – Earlier this month, Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian relief agency, sent a $4 million shipment of 10 medical supply containers to Yemen to bolster its strained health sector ahead of the winter season.

This round of humanitarian aid will provide 400 pallets of life-saving medical supplies that will be distributed across 65 medical facilities in Yemen to support a health system which is suffering from the lack of facilities equipped with medications and supplies.

According to the charity’s representatives, access to healthcare is nearly nonexistent for displaced Yemenis.

“Many Yemenis have to walk miles while sick to access medical care in facilities that are already operating with threadbare resources,” said Elizabeth Sohail, programs manager for Baitulmaal. “These supplies will be a life-saver for many families this winter.”

As part of ongoing emergency relief efforts in Yemen, Baitulmaal’s COVID-19 response measures included providing clean water and hygiene kits in addition to conducting awareness and educational sessions for the prevention of COVID-19.

The United Nations considers Yemen to be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 17.9 million people do not have access to basic healthcare in Yemen. Earlier this year, severe flooding exacerbated the health crisis in Yemen, fueling widespread outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera, dengue, malaria, and diphtheria. The coronavirus pandemic is further devastating a compromised population which is hungry, destitute, and vulnerable to illness.

Since 2018, Baitulmaal has sent over $5.6 million in aid that provided meals, antibiotics, medical supplies, and hygiene kits to Yemen. If you would like to learn more or to contribute to the emergency relief 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 Dallas, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here
Posted on by

700 Families in Yemen Receive COVID-19 Prevention Assistance

IBB, YEMEN, October 22, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian aid organization, delivered COVID-19 preventative assistance to 700 families in Yemen, where the world’s worst humanitarian crisis is taking place according to international observers. 

As part of ongoing humanitarian efforts in Yemen, Baitulmaal’s COVID-19 response measures include providing clean water and hygiene kits, conducting 100 preventative hygiene educational sessions, and distributing 6,000 awareness brochures with illustrated instructions on how to reduce chances of infection to displaced people in Ibb and Ta’iz governorates in Yemen.

Elizabeth Sohail, Baitulmaal programs manager, said the organization’s efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis in Yemen focus on preventative measures in addition to providing much-needed resources and supplies.

“We’re working to ensure that the people of Yemen are aware of the coronavirus and have access to essentials like clean water and soap in order to protect themselves and their families,” said Sohail.

According to the United Nations, four out of five people in Yemen are already in need of life-saving aid. “The worst-case scenario — which is the one we’re facing now — means that the death toll from the virus could exceed the combined toll of war, disease and hunger over the last five years [in Yemen],” said Lise Grande, head of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in a June 5, 2020 CNN article “Yemen coronavirus: Experts fear nation could suffer one of the world’s worst outbreaks.”

Since 2018, Baitulmaal has sent over $5.6 million in aid that provided meals, antibiotics, medical supplies, and hygiene kits to Yemen. If you would like to learn more or to contribute to the emergency relief 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 Dallas, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here

Posted on by

Baitulmaal Responds to 2020 Monsoon Floods in Pakistan

KARACHI, PAKISTAN, September 1, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian organization, is currently providing emergency relief in Karachi and Sujawal, Pakistan, in response to record-level flooding.

Karachi has been hit with the worst torrential rains in 89 years. Villages in Sujawal that Baitulmaal donors have adopted for humanitarian assistance were also flooded. Water levels reaching as high as waist-deep have pushed people to flee to higher ground.

Baitulmaal field workers helped evacuate people in the Gulberg Town part of Karachi, and are providing hot meals, water, hygiene kits and food packages to flood survivors. In addition, Baitulmaal field workers are providing clean drinking water to affected areas in Karachi like Yousuf Goth and Abdullah Town. They are also using trucks to deliver food and supplies to people who were unable to evacuate.

Baitulmaal Programs Manager Elizabeth Sohail said that her team’s efforts will not end when the rain ends.

“We will continue distributing food and clean water over the next couple of weeks,” said Sohail. “We are evaluating the ongoing situation and will determine our next steps to prepare for continued rising water, expected illnesses from exposure to contaminated water and needed repairs in the villages.”

Sohail said that anyone interested in helping with the emergency aid efforts in Pakistan can donate online at johnjanney.org/help4pakistan.

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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.

# # #

Corrections: In the original update, it was erroneously stated that Baitulmaal field workers evacuated the villages of Ranta and Jati when it should have stated that Baitulmaal field workers helped evacuate people in the Gulberg Town part of Karachi. The update also stated that Baitulmaal field workers used boats to reach flood survivors with food and supplies when it should have stated that they used trucks. While village evacuation and boats are part of Baitulmaal’s contingency planning, they have not yet been utilized. We apologize for the errors.

Click Here
Posted on by

$686,060 Emergency Aid Package to Lebanon

BEIRUT, August 20, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian organization, is currently providing emergency relief for 500 families in Lebanon in response to the August 4 explosion that killed at least 220 people, injured more than 5,000 and left and estimated 300,000 homeless.

The initial $70,000 emergency aid package provides hygiene kits, food and water, and financial assistance to help families in need as well as labor to help with clean-up efforts. An additional $29,000 of medications are also being distributed to address urgent medical needs of survivors.

So far, Baitulmaal has helped families in the areas of Al-Karantina, Al Marfaa, Qasqas, Aysha Bakkar, and Al- Bastah. The charity’s Program Manager Elizabeth Sohail said that her team is planning larger shipments of aid in the coming weeks that include $417,060 in medical supplies and $170,000 in medications.

“Thanks to our donors, we’re able to provide much-needed supplies and medical aid to those who urgently need it,” said Sohail. “We’re going to stick around in Lebanon because the need here is tremendous and they urgently need our help.”

Baitulmaal has dedicated $100,000 in emergency aid immediately after the explosion and is now following up with an additional $587,000 in aid packages. Sohail said people interested in being a part of this effort can contribute to the Baitulmaal Lebanon Emergency Relief fund at https://johnjanney.org/help4lebanon.

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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here

[Gallery — no images specified]

⬅️ Click on the left or right edge of the photo to see more ➡️

Posted on by

Baitulmaal on the Ground in Lebanon Providing Assistance

BEIRUT, August 12, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based international humanitarian organization, is on the ground providing emergency aid to people affected by the August 4 explosion that killed at least 220 people, injured more than 5,000 and left and estimated 300,000 homeless.

In addition to emergency food and medicine, the 4-star charity is providing labor to help clear away wreckage left by the horrific explosion. Baitulmaal Program Manager Elizabeth Sohail said that her team has been continuously assessing the needs in Lebanon since the first hours after the explosion happened.

“We’re continuously communicating with our resources on the ground to see how Baitulmaal can fill in gaps in emergency aid,” said Sohail. “Right now we’re focusing on helping people survive the coming weeks, but we plan to stick around to help because this tragedy will likely affect people’s lives for months, if not years, to come.”

Baitulmaal has already dedicated $100,000 in emergency aid and will pledge more as donations continue to come in for their Lebanon Relief fund.

For more information about Baitulmaal or to contribute to its Lebanon Emergency Relief fund, please visit https://johnjanney.org/help4lebanon.

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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here

Posted on by

Explosion in Lebanon Leaves Injured Vulnerable

Baitulmaal is providing emergency aid to people affected by the August 4 explosion amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

BEIRUT, August 5, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based humanitarian organization, is mobilizing resources in Lebanon to provide emergency aid in response to the explosion yesterday that killed at least 100 people, injured more than 4,000 people, collapsed nearby buildings and shattered glass within 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

According to CNN, Lebanon’s Health Minister Hamad Hassan said injuries from the explosion are placing additional strain on the country’s healthcare system because “it has already been struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Baitulmaal representatives said they are sending medical aid and food assistance because the explosion is also worsening the already dire hunger problem in Lebanon.

“The destruction of the ports will prevent essential food and grain from being imported, and we’re getting reports of people unable to get money from their bank accounts,” said Elizabeth Sohail, program manager at Baitulmaal. “We’re working with our resources on the ground to move food and medicine to people who urgently need it and will continue assessing additional needs as this crisis unfolds.”

For more information about Baitulmaal or to contribute to its Lebanon Emergency Relief fund, please visit https://johnjanney.org/help4lebanon.

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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here
Posted on by

Baitulmaal Delivers 125 Food Boxes in Chicago

CHICAGO, April 23, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based humanitarian organization, teamed up with the Islamic Community Center of Illinois and MAS Youth Chicago for a drive-through food pantry and delivered 125 food packages to more than 80 families impacted by the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The drive-through food pantry took place at 6425 W Belmont Avenue in Chicago on Thursday, April 23, 2020, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Local residents in need of food assistance drove through and received food box donations. Volunteers wore masks and gloves to protect beneficiaries as they drove through the line.

Baitulmaal Midwest Region Coordinator Saad Hassan said he hopes the food assistance helps people get through these difficult times.

“You can see on their faces that these boxes meant so much more than food,” said Hassan. “Each food package was a box of hope, a lifeline in a time when everyone feels they are drowning.”

Hassan said they packed 100 boxes but ran out one hour early. His group of volunteers put together an additional 25 boxes and distributed those before concluding the program.

Hassan’s organization raised more than $100,000 earlier this month to help people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We continue to raise money so we can help more people,” Hassan continued. “We want to do more of these drive-through food pantries because they are urgently needed.”

For more information about Baitulmaal or to contribute to its COVID-19 relief fund, please visit https://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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here
Posted on by

100 Families Receive Food Assistance at Drive-Through Food Pantry in Loma Linda

LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA, April 18, 2020 — Baitulmaal, a Dallas-based humanitarian organization, teamed up with the Islamic Community Center of Redlands for a drive-through food pantry and delivered food packages to 100 families impacted by the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The drive-through food pantry took place at 24769 Redlands Blvd in Loma Linda, California, on Saturday, April 18, 2020, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Local residents in need of food assistance drove through and received food box donations. Volunteers wore masks and gloves to protect beneficiaries as they drove through the line.

Baitulmaal West Coast Coordinator Abdullah Azab said working with interfaith partners in the community was vital to getting the word out about the food pantry.

“We had a lot of help from volunteers from different faith communities,” said Azad. “It’s really beautiful to see people coming together, even as we all need to keep social distancing.”

Azad’s organization raised more than $100,000 earlier this month to help people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We continue to raise money so we can help more people,” Azab continued. “It’s tough trying to get through this crisis, and it looks like it’s going to get harder before it gets better.”

For more information about COVID-19, please see the Center for Disease Control COVID-19 website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

For more information about Baitulmaal or to contribute to its COVID-19 relief fund, please visit https://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, the charity has offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and New Jersey as well as international offices in Jordan, Kenya, Somalia and Pakistan.

# # #

Click Here