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  • I-CERV volunteers of Little Rock donate 10,000 masks and 1,800 meals to the University of Arkansas Medical Center.
    Sanam Hakam | 07 July 2020 | USA

    Six Feet Apart but Close to Others

    I-CERV volunteers of Little Rock donate 10,000 masks and 1,800 meals to the University of Arkansas Medical Center. The.Ismaili
  • I-CERV volunteers of Albuquerque receiving food during the drive-through food drive.
    Sanam Hakam | 07 July 2020 | USA

    Six Feet Apart but Close to Others

    I-CERV volunteers of Albuquerque receiving food during the drive-through food drive. The.Ismaili

The Council for the Central US provides much-needed items to the community during this health crisis.

Faces protected, hands covered, and standing six-feet apart, Ismaili volunteers are taking action in Dallas. As the coronavirus spreads across the globe, the Jamat here continues to provide relief amidst the pandemic.

On May 14, the Ismaili community donated 10,000 surgical masks, 10,000 pairs of gloves, and 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to the City of Dallas.

“This donation from the Aga Khan Council for the Central United States provides important resources for City of Dallas employees who are bravely working on the frontlines of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Eric Johnson, Mayor of the City of Dallas. “The donation also again demonstrates the generosity and strength of our Dallas community in times of crisis.”

Although many organizational efforts have been halted by a decline in donations and volunteers due to isolation requirements and the economic downturn, the Ismaili community is standing by its commitment to service.

“Contributing to the quality of life in the communities in which we live and work is part of the core values of the Ismaili Muslim community,” said Nizar Didarali, President of the Council for the Central US. “Volunteerism and being contributing citizens are at the forefront of what we do.”

Additionally, I-CERV volunteers in Little Rock, Arkansas, donated 10,000 masks and 1,800 meals to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) employees.

“Wow,” said Steppe Mette, M.D., UAMS Medical Central’s CEO. “This is another amazing example of our community coming together to support Team UAMS. Our fellow Arkansans have shown us tremendous support as we respond to this pandemic. We’re grateful for that.”

I-CERV member Nisa Khan stepped up when she saw a news report stating that UAMS was in need of masks. She purchased supplies and organized women at home to start sewing hundreds of masks. Before long, she was able to tackle this mammoth of a task with the support of fellow Ismaili women.

Similarly, the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Albuquerque hosted a food bank drive-thru drop off for the benefit of Native-American communities. I-CERV volunteers and various community and civic leaders collected non-perishable canned goods to help those in need.

“It was an honor to join other community leaders yesterday in support of the Ismaili Community Engaged in Responsible Volunteering (#ICERV) group, at the Ismaili Jamatkhana, Albuquerque, to collect food, PPE and other essential provisions for the Native American communities,” said Day Hochman-Vigil, Representative for New Mexico House District 15.

To date, the Aga Khan Council has offered masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, and meals in all cities in which are Jamatkhanas are present. The Ismaili community will continue to assist those in our communities who are in need.