ICNA Relief collecting school supplies for local needy children
The national nonprofit, ICNA Relief (Islamic Circle of North America Relief), will distribute 700 backpacks and supplies to children in need, as part of their #OneNationOneCause Back2School Drive on Saturday, July 27, in collaboration with the Chicago Police Department and North Side Tabernacle of Praise Church .
ICNA Relief Chicago intends to distribute 2,000 backpacks and supplies, a $50,000 value, throughout the summer.
They will also provide free medical checkups through their new mobile medical clinic, free haircuts, food, and fun activities at a mega distribution event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 27 at North Side Tabernacle of Praise Church in Chicago.
This drive is in collaboration with various local faith groups, non-profits, Chicago Police, Chicago Public Schools, libraries, village halls, Target, Starbucks, Walgreens, and 15 more businesses. The list grows daily.
The community is invited to support the effort.
Supplies can be shipped, and/or checks mailed to ICNA Relief Chicago, 1793 Bloomingdale Road, Suite 4, Glendale Heights, IL 60139.
Deadline for in-kind or online donations at icnarelief.org/back2school: July 17. To volunteer, be a sponsor, or to partner, email chicago@icnarelief.org. You can also support ICNA Relief through Amazon Smile.
"Twenty percent of American kids live in poverty," said Dr. Saima Azfar, director of ICNA Relief Chicago. "We know that our back to school efforts represent much more than just backpacks and supplies for these underprivileged kids, it shows them that we care about their education and value them as the future leaders of our great nation."
In 2018 alone, ICNA Relief USA distributed 43,000 backpacks with supplies, in over one hundred locations in 35 states.
Since 2009, ICNA Relief has distributed nearly a quarter-million backpacks filled with supplies, nationwide to needy children. Its services, provided through 56 chapters, include 17 transitional shelters for women and children, car donations, refugee assimilation programs, professional counseling, and food pantries.