Approximately 77,000 people in Chicago are experiencing homelessness, with almost 30% of those people under the age of 18. The work Chi-Care does for our homeless population is nothing less than essential for our city. Zakat Chicago was the first organization that sponsored Chi-Care in their efforts to provide food and water to Chicago’s homeless population.
When Chi-Care was first created, there was a single SUV delivering food across the city, hand-to-hand. In those early days of their work, they were able to serve between 50-100 people over the course of several weeks. After receiving a grant from Zakat Chicago, created by your donations, Chi-Care now serves 400-500 people a week. Instead of one SUV, there is a fleet of delivery trucks that take multiple routes to ensure that the most amount of people receive aid. ZC also helped pay for half the food Chi-Care purchased over the course of 6 months with grant money. With the support of Zakat Chicago, Chi-Care has now become the fastest growing organization in the city and has served 15,000 people since their inception, the largest amount of any Chicago-based organization of its kind.
In addition to this expansion of outreach, Chi-Care was able to expand their services to include food, water, snacks, and seasonal supplies (i.e. tents, heaters, blankets, etc.). As a part of ZC’s Winter Kit initiative, Chi-Care received 700 coats to distribute while on their routes. The food, seasonal supplies, and Winter Kits provided by Chi-Care and Zakat Chicago help Chicago’s homeless get through some of the more difficult days. Your donation can ensure the health and safety of Chicago’s most vulnerable people.
In a conversation with Farhan Ahmed, the founder and president of Chi-Care, he called the work of his organization “a walking, talking Dawah.” Chi-Care serves ALL of Chicago’s homeless. In doing so, without ever handing out a Quran or any religious text, Chi-Care spreads the love and knowledge of Islam across the city. When the delivery trucks come down the street, with Chi-Care’s familiar logo plastered on the side, happiness cannot help but become palatable for those about to receive. Hope has arrived once again. Your donation to Zakat Chicago not only feeds bodies, but feeds spirits as well.
