The holy month of Ramadan is a time of fasting when Muslims across the globe place a focus on mercy, gratitude, and spiritual revival. The holy month requires abstaining from food from sunrise to sunset each day, but with that comes a delight each night: eating. Not everyone who fasts has a meal guaranteed at the end of the day, though; many do so with hope and determination to find a way to break their fast at sunset.
Those who observe Ramadan choose to forego the comfort of meals throughout the day, reminding us food security is a privilege, not a guarantee — one that far too many are not afforded. That’s why Zakat Foundation of America and DoorDash are partnering in a campaign called Feel the Hunger to Do Good. This partnership is committed to helping feed the hungry and combat food insecurity during Ramadan.
Zakat Foundation of America and DoorDash will be providing warm meal distributions throughout Ramadan, pledging to feed 15,000 people in the United States. The warm meal distributions will take place across the country, from New York to California, with many regions seeing nearly 415 meals distributed per week.
In addition to the 15,000 meals, Zakat Foundation of America is pledging another meal for every photo posted to social media, tagging @ZakatUS and @DoorDash. This is part of a commitment for the international humanitarian aid organization to provide 100,000 meals domestically this Ramadan.
“Food insecurity exists everywhere,” said Amna Mirza, Chief Marketing Officer at Zakat Foundation of America. “This pandemic has shown us that our neighbors are hungry, some waiting for 10 hours in food lines. Recognizing this, DoorDash is helping power meals during this critical time.”
"Ramadan is among the most sacred months of the year for Muslims around the world. The ability to break fast each day of the month at sunset is critical to the holy month,” said Nadia Z. Ismail, Muslims@DoorDash Community Chair. “To support the community during their month of fast, DoorDash is honored to be highlighting local, halal-certified merchants and donating $1 per order from those merchants to Zakat Foundation of America to help combat food insecurity. DoorDash's partnership with Zakat Foundation of America will help ensure thousands of people in America are fed during this crucial time of worship."
In an effort to expand access to certified halal food and celebrate Ramadan, Mirza dedicated herself to establishing a partnership that would help feed thousands and highlight the importance of Ramadan.
“When an organization is brave enough to prioritize inclusion and break down barriers in a world that’s so divided, we take a huge step forward in creating an environment that is representative of all of us,” Mirza said. “DoorDash did just that by launching their Halal Food collection during Ramadan.”
Zakat Foundation of America has been feeding people for nearly 20 years and has grown their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nonprofit provided more than 8.38 million meals in about 50 countries last year, supplemented by long-term food accessibility through agricultural and animal husbandry programs.
The humanitarian organization fed more than 2.28 million people in the United States alone in 2020, providing more than 3 million pounds of fresh food and dairy. Zakat Foundation of America distributed nearly 400,000 pounds of fresh food to people in the U.S. in just the first month and a half of 2021. And they haven’t stopped there. They will continue to support and uplift underserved, underprivileged communities through food and personal protective equipment (PPE) distributions throughout the remainder of the pandemic, in addition to all its other key programs (orphan sponsorship, education, water, health and wellness, sustainable livelihoods, refugee empowerment and more).
