2017 Social Services Report
[totaldonations-progress-bar campaign=”Social Services 2017 EYC”]
[totaldonations-text-fields campaign=”Social Services 2017 EYC” button=”yes” button_text=”SUPPORT THE SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT”]
Summary
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Family Support & Awareness Sessions Every Tuesday Morning at DAH. Guest speakers from different disciplines provide instruction and guidance on a variety of important topics to our refugee and/or immigrant clients, including matters like affordable housing and available resources.
DAH Computer Learning Center. This teaches women the proficiencies necessary to use a computer, thereby helping them on their mission to attain employment and gain independence.
English as a Second Language (ESL). The DAH ESL teaches women beginner – intermediate linguistic skills in the English language.
DAH Tutoring Program for 4th to 12th grade students every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00-8:00pm (runs at the same time as the ESL class) to provide one-on-one academic assistance.
OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
DAH Social Services Outreach to Neighboring Counties. The DAH Social Services department is proactive at reaching out to social workers of schools, shelters, and other establishments that are part of the Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria counties for increased efficiency at aiding our community.
Dar Al-Hijrah & First Christian Church Safe Haven: Feed the Needy. Takes place every fourth Thursday. DAH provides up to 160 hot meals for low-income families each month served at the neighboring First Christian Church.
Interfaith Medical Specialists Network (IMSN). This is an interfaith program centered at Culmore Clinic that works towards building a network of healthcare professionals who treat a few patients pro-bono each year.
WOMEN-CENTERED SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
DAH Sewing Academy. In this program, 12 women per semester learn the marketable trade of sewing via 100 hours of instruction in order to eventually become financially independent by generating their own income.
Empowered Women International partnered with DAH to host a three-month entrepreneurship workshop which gave priority to previous and current sewing class students in order to enable them to market their newly acquired skills.
Threading Dreams. After graduating in December of 2015, this group of women gave rise to their own group, which they named Threading Dreams. They now work together as part of their newly established business, wherein each member of the group contributes her own unique skills and talents.
Ikram Foundation Partnership. DAH partnered with Ikram’s program, which provides financial aid to Muslim women who are widowed or divorced, helping them pursue higher education. DAH helps Ikram’s effort by referring eligible candidates to them.
Mommy & Me. Mothers of children aged 5 years or younger attend DAH on the first Tuesday of the month with their mothers to participate in mother-child bonding activities, sing anasheed, and learn the basics of the alphabet, counting, and Quranic verses.
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS
Community Giveaway Day. We invited members of our community to a giveaway, so families could take any number of items they needed from the DAH Thrift Shop at no cost
DAH Community Thrift Shop. Accepts and sells gently used clothing for low prices. Profits go directly towards the financial assistance budget.
Foster Care Orientation. This workshop trains parents in the realms necessary to become foster parents.
CPR Training. DAH hosted a CPR certification workshop on our premises at a discounted cost of only $10 to our community.
COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Emergency Assistance Program (of up to $1,000 per family per year) provided for those who are on the verge of eviction and/or have lost their source of income.
Dar Al-Hijrah Weekly Food Bank. 387 families are registered in this program, and the weekly food bank currently serves up to 285 families of all faiths and ethnicities every Thursday morning.
Funeral Emergency Fund. This program provides low-income families with funeral aid through the passing of their loved ones.
Zakatul Fitr Distribution. A financial assistance provided during the month of Ramadan, which aids up to 215 low-income families in celebrating Eid, the biannual Islamic holiday. This fund is both collected and fully distributed during Ramadan.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dar Al-Hijrah Health Education Fair. Several free health services were offered to the community, including discounted flu vaccinations, various health screenings, demonstrations of health insurance applications, and family fun activities.
Fairfax Outreach for Youth with Disabilities. Parents of children with disabilities received vital information regarding their children’s rights and educational resources.
Citizenship Application Workshop. The mission of this workshop is to help members of our community fill out the appropriate forms to apply for citizenship.
Blanket Drive. Participants donated new and gently used winter clothing, blankets, winter boots, gloves, and other basic necessities.
Syrian Children Eid Toy Drive. Eid toys and new/lightly used clothing were collected for children in Syria.
DAH & RedCross Blood Drive. Held annually in collaboration with RedCross.
Dar Al-Hijrah Weekly Food Home Delivery Project. Food Bank parcels are delivered to families who cannot attend DAH premises.
Qurbani Meat Distribution. Islamic Relief has generously donated 5,000 pounds of Zabiha/Qurbani meat to the DAH Food Bank.
DAH Ramadan Iftar Program. DAH utilizes this program to host iftar (breaking fast at sunset) on all thirty days of Ramadan.
DAH Ramadan Iftar Delivery Program. Similar to the Food Bank Delivery Program, the Ramadan Iftar Delivery Program focuses on delivering food to families who cannot access our premises due to old age, disabilities, having younger children, amongst other reasons.
Dar Al-Hijrah Food Bank Drive. Dar Al-Hijrah holds an annual Food Bank Drive during which we ask our generous community to donate non-perishable good within their means. These goods are then delivered to the less fortunate, food-insecure families in our community.
Annual School Supply Distribution. Backpacks and school supplies are distributed to low-income families at the beginning of every academic year.
Furniture donation. DAH connects donor families of furniture to needy families in need of donated furniture.
DAH Health Champions in Chronic Diseases. During this four-day workshop, volunteers received training in health education in order to spread awareness about chronic disease prevention in our community.
SOCIAL SERVICES NEW PROGRAM PROPOSED FOR 2018
Affordable Preschool Program (APP). This program would specifically be geared towards divorced/separated women who have sought our help via the aforementioned women’s independence programs.
Activities for Individuals with Disabilities. This proposed program would provide young adults with disabilities with a set of organized, meaningful activities through which they can further their life experience and socialize with their peers.
DAH Senior Citizens Program. We are in the planning stages of launching a program for senior citizens of the DAH community that can offer them opportunities for entertaining activities, socialization, and lunch between the Dhuhr and Asr prayers.