Ramadan can be a very difficult time for low-income families. Groceries and food supplies can be expensive, access to the mosque can be logistically challenging or physically demanding, and the process of requesting financial assistance is complicated at best and degrading at worst. This proposal is a small-scale initiative inspired by a food basket program in the Gaza Strip.

As with all proposals on This American Mosque, please consider adapting this initiative for your mosque’s unique needs if you believe your community can benefit from it. Suggestions and ideas to improve this proposal are also welcome.

Overview

Target: Low-income families
Summary of Plan: Families apply privately for food assistance in the months prior to Ramadan. Information on family size and dietary restrictions is used to build food baskets funded by community donations and compiled and delivered by volunteers just before the start of Ramadan. Each food basket should be able to support its family for at least the entire month of Ramadan.
Problems Addressed: (1) Unaffordable food costs; (2) Mosque inaccessibility; (3) Inefficiency of conventional financial assistance programs
Estimated Cost: $50 to $75 per basket, or $500 to $750 per ten families assisted

Detailed Action Plan

Application Distribution
In the months before Ramadan, advertise and distribute applications for assistance. Given the sensitivity of this application, it is best to have the mosque collect and securely store any completed forms. Details such as family size and location are necessary to provide an adequate basket and to coordinate delivery. It is also important to ask about preferred foods and favorite desserts, as this information will help personalize the baskets and promote the festive Ramadan spirit.

A sample form can be found here.

Application Review
The form is split into two halves, each linked together by an application ID number. The top half, which contains identifiable information such as name and address, should be kept with a mosque administrator. The bottom half, which contains information on family size and dietary restrictions, will be collected and analyzed by organizers to determine how much food to buy and at what preliminary cost. A family of seven, for example, requires more goods than a family of four. A family with three toddlers requires different foods than a family of adults.

Cost and Funding
Donations will be requested based on estimated food costs. Buying food items in bulk will likely cost less than buying individually. Additionally, transportation costs will be offset since the baskets will be delivered by organizers and volunteers. Donations to this initiative may be collected in the months leading up to Ramadan and/or the mosque may pay the costs upfront and recoup with donations during the month of Ramadan.

Basket Assembly
Basket assembly will occur in the week before Ramadan and must be prepared for delivery at least one or two days before the first day of Ramadan. The basket should contain enough non-perishable food items to last for the month. If the family has access to a refrigerator, perishable items such as meats and vegetables will also be considered. It is absolutely crucial to provide variety: the idea is less about functionally feeding a family and more about demonstrating community support and providing the family with reason to enjoy the festivity of the Ramadan month.

Basket Distribution
Baskets must be delivered one or two days before the start of Ramadan so that families can prepare. Deliveries will be completed by organizers and volunteers. Routes will be coordinated based on the location information provided in the application.