Be a Blessing Article by Dala Eloubeidi

On Sunday, June 3rd, a group of 16-20 volunteers from the BIS contributed to the ongoing efforts of Be a Blessing Birmingham, a non-profit organization that provides aid to our city’s homeless community. Upon arriving to the facility in Homewood, one group of volunteers sorted donated clothing and shoes, while the other assembled “blessing bags.” Blessing bags, for which Be a Blessing is known, contain items such as toiletries, feminine products, water, and other items that our homeless neighbors depend on while living on the streets.

The push for deciding to work with Be a Blessing was two-fold. As a reflection of the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan, and especially its emphasis on mercy and empathy, we wanted to serve one of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities in Birmingham. Oftentimes the homeless are feared, but this experience was meant to be a way for us to connect with them on a more personal and humanizing level. Second, we as Muslim Americans desire to use the calling of our faith to serve others a means for contributing to the societies and communities within which we live. As we become more visible to those outside of our own community, we show others that Muslims are just as concerned about the major issues plaguing our country.

We ask that Allah (SWT) accept our efforts during this project and make our intentions sincere when serving others. In the meantime, we hope to be involved with Be a Blessing again. If you would like to learn more about the organization, or ways to become involved, please visit the following link for updates: https://www.facebook.com/BeABlessingBirmingham/