Muslim Food Bank Success Stories!

W e introduce to you ‘the Muslim Food Bank Success Stories’ – stories about how our caseworkers strive to support our clients as a result of which they attain success in various aspects of their lives. In these stories you will find that not only do the clients who come from varying backgrounds and levels of need get the assistance they were were seeking but the caseworkers are also left with a feeling of fulfilment that one can’t put a value to. We hope that these stories will encourage people to become a part of the Muslim Food Bank family, whether that’s by becoming our client or by volunteering with us. To protect our client’s privacy, we will use pseudonyms. Knowledge Is Power How a Mother of Four Went from Being Broke to Being a Breadwinner Imagine it’s the end of the month and you don’t have the money to pay the next month’s rent. This was the plight of a woman who was disadvantaged yet resilient. Sara Ahmed, a 40-year-old mother of four lives with her husband, Akram. She assumed the role of the head of the household many years ago when her husband became disabled. She is not only a homemaker but is also tasked with managing the family’s finances. Though her husband receives financial support as part of the B.C. disability assistance program, her family fell on hard times a few months ago when she was unable to pay her rent or put food on the table for her four kids. Sara’s kids are alone in this struggle. Some estimates suggest that one in five kids in British Columbia live below the poverty line. With no extended family around to fall back on, Sara was left with very few options. She went to the local mosque to seek help and was given financial aid that provided urgent relief. After some time, due to limited resources the mosque had to turn Sara away. That’s when she came to the Muslim Food Bank. When Sara Ahmed first visited the Muslim Food Bank to register as a client, the intake worker categorized her as high-priority so her case was given to senior case-worker Hiba Ali. Hiba has worked through numerous cases dealing with low-income families before. In her first encounter with Hiba, Sara didn’t beat around the bush. She said, “I need money!” Hiba asked her if she worked but Sara responded saying she would but she feared losing the only source of income her family had—the disability assistance. Hiba thought that dinging someone for working is counterintuitive and would discourage disability assistance recipients from working. When she took the time to research what Sara was really entitled to, she found out that a family with one adult receiving disability assistance can have a yearly income of up to $12,000 a year without any deductions. For Sara it was a turning point to learn from Hiba that she could maintain her disability income in addition to earning money to meet her family’s financial needs. After assessing Sara’s skill level, Hiba connected her with an employer who hired Sara as a care aide. Hiba received a call from Sara recently. Sara said, “Thank you for everything. I am pray- ing for you and your family.” Hiba says she feels grateful for having the opportunity to help Sara in her path towards self-sufficiency through support, education and networking. These are real stories where our volunteers have an impact on members of our community helping them progress in their lives. InshaAllah next week we will bring you another story. Please join us to have a purpose in your life to make a difference in the lives of your brothers and sisters by coming to our events and registering as a volunteer or donating to your organization, the Muslim Food Bank and Community Services Society (usually referred to as Muslim Food Bank). Our email is contact@muslimfoodbank.com and telephone number is 1-866-824-2525.