The Montgomery County Muslim Foundation is serving communities through a variety of programs and in the process has been fostering interfaith harmony.
Celebrated by the country leaders, state legislators and diverse communities living in the area, the MCMF has in recent years emerged as an organization with steadfast commitment to service ranging from charity work like feeding the homeless to assisting newly arrived Syrian refugees, training new volunteers and hosting cultural events.
“We have touched lives of more than 10,000 people in the last few years,” Chairman Board of Directors, MCMF, Tufail Ahmad says.
Recently, the annual dinner of the Foundation drew a generous participation of communities.
Delegate Hasan Jalisi with Tufail Ahmad
Maryland State Delegate Hasan Jalisi was among those who spoke at the event, praising the work being done by the Foundation and Maryland’s spirit to coexist as a multicultural place with commitment to well being of all.
According to Ahmad, the organization operates with an outreach to common humanity, and works with and for people without any discrimination or preference.
“We serve people indiscriminately, regardless of their faith, race, color or ethnicity – our job is to serve the suffering and less fortunate,” Ahmad explains.
The slogan “Faith in Action,” identifying the organization’s work has, in fact, pursued interfaith harmony as one of the key services.
“There is no better way to imrpove intercultural relations than serving one’s community, especially those needing support like homeless and the hungry.”
Operating since 2008, the Foundation’s work has been hailed by American citizens and officials, as the Foundation becomes a platform to give a powerful message of peaceful coexistence despite some divisive rhetoric during the election season.
“We are grateful and humbled that our work serves to promote understanding between diverse communities and at the same time cancels out stereotypes about our faith,” Ahmad says.
Any challenges in the work?
“In the beginning we were a small group of friends but now many more people are joining us, this is promoting a friendly environment,” he says of the Montgomery country.
A large number of people attended MCMF’s annual dinner fundraiser
What about financial discipline?
“We account for each and every penny of the generous donations, it is a trust with and we spend them carefully on the needy,” Ahmad says.
Working simultaneously, the Foundation is running programs for welfare of seniors and its activities include annual food drive, annual clothes drive, feed the homeless, Qurbani-Zabiha meat distribution, thanksgiving meal distribution, holiday gift basket distribution and volunteer services engaging the youth.
These activities, the MCMF founder says, are meant to encourage participatory work and inspire a volunteering spirit so that people can care for each other and one another.
“We wish all communities a happy holiday season with hopes of a brighter and more blissful New Year,” says Tufail Ahmad.
[…] In Montgomery county, Muslim Foundation touches lives of diverse communities […]