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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

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Foreword Alhamdulillah, since the inception of our organization in 2014, we have witnessed a miraculous growth that has allowed us to serve our communities without the uncertainty that many newly established nonprofits must face.

In less years than the hand is capable of counting, we have become a thriving community fixture—a position that has done us well to bolster our friends in both our native city of Chicago and around the world. We want you to know that we do not take this unique place in the world of humanitarianism for granted. It is by the will and generosity of our contributors that we have come by this opportunity. Everything we do and everything we will accomplish is from the open hands and hearts of our donors and supporters.

Please accept our sincere thanks for every dollar spent and every word spread. 2018 was an exceptional year, and we look forward to continuing to be your trusted accomplices in an ever-changing world. Now, we celebrate another year of transparency and high standards of giving.

We don’t spend frivolously, and a dollar is never just a dollar here.

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Board of Directors

Fahim Aref

Iqbal Hussain

Executive Director

VP & I.T. Communications

Mohamed Zeyara

Muneer Shehadi

Outreach Director

Treasurer

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

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Water Wells The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Whosoever digs a well will receive reward for that from Allah on the Day of Judgment when anyone amongst jinn, men and birds drink from it” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Since March of 2015, we have been raising funds for the construction of water wells in Mali, Africa. It was clear that Mali’s impoverished state necessitated response, and so this project began. With the intention of providing Malians with a fundamental source of water, we started crowdfunding on our personal platform and the feedback was extraordinary. Alhamdulillah—to date—with nearly 900 wells under our belt, this service has become a popular Pious Projects staple. Our donors have the unique opportunity to truly honor their loved ones with a gift that keeps on giving. Alhamdulillah, we are proud to acknowledge the 50% increase in donor funds for this campaign since 2017!

“Whosoever digs a well will receive reward for that from Allah on the Day of Judgment when anyone amongst jinn, men and birds drink from it.”

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

“I and the caretaker of the orphan will enter paradise together like this,’ raising by way of illustration his forefinger and middle finger jointly, leaving no space in between.”

Pious Projects Academy Abu Hurayra (RA) reported “The Prophet (AS) said, ‘I and the caretaker of the orphan will enter paradise together like this,’ raising by way of illustration his forefinger and middle finger jointly, leaving no space in between” (Bukhari).

On our various trips to Mali, we discovered a pressing issue that inspired one of 2018’s biggest challenges and achievements. The percentage of children in Mali whose needs are currently not being met is exorbitant. Due to poverty and an exceptionally high mortality rate stemming from surrounding conflicts, there is a large number of parentless children that are not accounted for. Malnourished and lacking a proper education, they are in great need of a safe and stable environment. We began collecting for the construction of the Pious Projects Academy in 2017, and Alhamdulillah, construction has commenced and wonderful progress has been made. As we close the year with the last of the external touches, we look forward to beginning internal development—another step closer to accepting our 500 students.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

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The Gift of Vision For the second time, we had the pleasure of collaborating with Al Basar International Foundation, an organization that strives to eradicate blindness in destitute areas. This year, we stationed our camp in the Republic of Niger from November 12th to November 17th, 2018. The doctors tended to a total of 4,209 patients and performed 503 surgeries. Many of these surgeries reversed the effects of treatable ailments such as cataracts and glaucoma, restoring the vision of many that had long lost it. Additionally, 1,000 pairs of glasses were distributed to patients with minor vision impairments. We are grateful to have been involved in this unique opportunity and look forward to sponsoring a third camp in 2019, inshAllah.

In the Republic of Niger

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4,209

503

1,000

patients

operations

glasses

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Food Baskets Our team has touched down in a number of countries over the years, and we’ve been disheartened by the harrowing conditions we have found their citizens are living in. Starvation and dehydration are the harsh realities for people like the villagers of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia and the refugees of Chad. There are a number of factors contributing to the lack of sustenance in these countries. Perhaps it is the political climate that is leaving inhabitants in economic despair, as is the case in areas such as Yemen and Gaza. Or owning livestock is a luxury not easily afforded or sustainable as is the case in Mali and Ethiopia. Regardless of the case, starvation is a significant issue that is both a hindrance and threat to tens of thousands of people in these areas, and there is no palpable solution to the ongoing adversity. The state of hunger with which they are forced to live is unacceptable and demands the world’s attention.

In a bid to relieve some of their distress, we started to distribute food baskets in numerous countries.

Our contributors were up to the task and donated enough funds to purchase thousands of baskets for families to reap the benefits of. Each food basket is capable of supporting an entire family for a month and is packed with nutritional value to properly battle the malnourishment that runs rampant in these areas. They included items such as rice, dates, oil, yogurt, and dehydrated meat depending on the area.

These are all ongoing campaigns, and InshAllah, with the help of our sponsors, 2019 will see an even larger increase in the resources we are able to provide them. Below is a summary report of what was supplied to each individual region.

Mali

213 Baskets

Chad

393 Baskets

Gaza

Bangladesh

Ethiopia

Yemen

Baskets

Baskets

Baskets

Baskets

1,210 Total:

294

2,836

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

570

156

Baskets

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Bread for Syria It has been some time now that the people of Syria are living in unsatisfactory conditions due to their war-torn state. It was with this in mind that we decided to partake in a bread distribution. At only 75 cents a pack, we were able to provide families with a minimum of 9 pieces of bread and deliver them in Northern Syria. This bread was fresh, filling, and greatly appreciated by the hundreds of recipients it assisted. In 2018, we raised $16,823 towards this cause. That’s more than 22,000 packs of bread distributed to families in need! We hope to continue this simple, yet effective practice for battling hunger in Syria’s Idlib and surrounding area.

75 = 9 cents

pieces of bread

$16,823 = 22,000 raised

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packs of bread

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Sponsor an Orphan for $50 a Month Abu Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Seek out the vulnerable among you. Verily, you are only given provision and support due to your support of the weak” (Tirmidhi).

Orphans are undoubtedly one of the most vulnerable populations in the world. The necessity to care for them is stressed in both the Quran and Hadeeth, making it an obligation on those who are able. After raising nearly $44,000 in 2018, we were able to provide clothes, education, and shelter to hundreds of orphans in Syria, Gaza, and Mali. We frequently place an emphasis on these areas, as the orphan situations there are critical. These children are lacking all the essentials they need to lead stable and healthy lives. With the help of our supporters, they were given a fighting chance despite their unfavorable circumstances. Thank you to all who contributed! This campaign will continue into 2019 with donations regularly reaching orphaned children in Gaza, Syria, Mali, Chad, Jordan, and Turkey.

“Seek out the vulnerable among you.

Verily, you are only given provision and support due to your support of the weak.”

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

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Fill Water Tanks in Gaza The fact that Gazans are forced to go to incomprehensible lengths to get water is a devastating truth. After the miles it takes walking to collect it, the water they obtain is not even clean enough to safely bathe or drink—a similar circumstance as our brothers and sisters in portions of Africa. For that reason, we partnered with Heroic Hearts in 2018 to extend our clean drinking water initiative to Palestine. When we proposed a collection of funds to fill water tanks in Gaza, the response from our donors was extraordinary. The influx of more than $66,000 in donations that followed allowed us to fill approximately 6,650 tanks at $10 per refill. Each refill provided a family with 1,000L of water to last them approximately a week.

Additionally, with United Hands Relief, we took part in a similar project raising $12,700 and refilling 848 tanks that each supported 3-5 families for a week.

$66,000 = 6,650 in donations

1,000L 10

water tanks of water for a family

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Feed the Hungry

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set free the captives” (Sahih Bukhari).

It is from these words that we drew inspiration for our annual campaign, Feed the Hungry. Feed the Hungry is a nationally hosted occasion in which cities across America (and portions of Canada) come together for one day in the year to assemble meals for their local homeless shelters. This year, with the help of nearly 1,500 volunteers across 20 cities, we put together 30,000 meals on September 29th, 2018. This is an outstanding new record we have set, and we were blown away by the interest and dedication of our volunteers, donors, and sponsors. Feed the Hungry has seen exponential growth in the past four years, and we eagerly anticipate next year’s even bigger and broader event as we steadily work our way to our ultimate goal—feeding one million homeless Americans, inshAllah.

1,500

20

volunteers

cities

30,000 meals

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

“Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set free the captives.”

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Ramadan and Dhul Hijjah Ramadan and Dhul Hijjah are two of the holiest months in the year. There is no better service we can do ourselves than capitalizing on this blessed time. For that reason, we created two donation programs to encourage our donors to get involved! In Ramadan, a month-long challenge collected donations for 30 projects in 30 days.

The days were dedicated to equally deserving initiatives such as Iftar campaigns, Masjid construction, and Islamic education. Likewise, a challenge took place in the last ten days of Dhul Hijjah that saw a variety of food aid programs being supplied to. Alhamdulillah, both of these projects were extremely successful, producing more than one million dollars in funding. This enabled us to execute massive distributions and take part in a number of meaningful and diverse causes.

Our challenges have always been met with enthusiasm as donors look forward to the reveal of our preselected projects. We look forward to keeping this exciting tradition alive come the new 2019 holiday season!

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Eid School Supplies For Eid Al-Adha, we were determined to gift Palestinian and Syrian refugee children in Jordan something that would both excite them and ultimately benefit them long-term. We are proud to have been able to administer a mass distribution of backpacks filled with school supplies in camps and destitute areas there in August. The influx of donations for the cause was outstanding, and we were able to purchase nearly 2,000 supply sets and hand them out in numerous areas. We hope this effectively impacted them by both showing them we are invested in their success and allowing them to complete their school work with proper materials this year. Thank you to all that made this contribution to their education.

2,000 supply sets

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Udhiya Albania

USA

Turkey

Lebanon Palestine Jordan Mauritania Mali South Sudan Senegal Niger Burkina Faso Ghana Uganda Zimbabwe

Kashmir

Syria Pakistan India

Yemen

Myanmar

Ethiopia Somalia

Bangladesh

Kenya Central African Republic Malawi

South Africa

Eid Al-Adha 2018, we were privileged to supply shares of meat in twenty-seven countries for those in need. The days after Hajj saw thousands blessed with nutritious helpings so they can take part in the holiday festivities with friends and family. We cannot emphasize enough the difference the comfort of knowing there is food for their families makes in their day. We saw an overwhelmingly positive response from our donors prepared to fund meat in a variety of regions. Approximately $98,000 were raised for Udhiya this year, allowing more than 1,000 portions of meat to be distributed to families. Thank you to all that got into the spirit of giving over the holidays!

Additionally, our year-round Udhiya campaign “Udhiya: Anytime, Anyplace” encountered great success with more than $30,000 in funding being contributed throughout the year. It serves as a valuable reminder that we don’t have to wait for a specific time of year to serve communities in this way. The option for donors to fund sacrifices outside of Dhul Hijjah will remain open.

$98,000 = 1,000 raised

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

portions of meat

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Winter Relief for Gaza, Lebanon, and Jordan For populations that generally struggle daily and do not have the privilege of basic comforts, the winter months are a very taxing time. They bring with them grueling temperatures that homes without heating cannot withstand.

This is the case for many refugees and citizens living in deplorable conditions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Jordan. For that reason, we started a winter relief project that saw an influx of donations from hundreds of supporters. These donations went towards coats for children in Gaza and Lebanon and blankets, heaters, and fuel distribution in Gaza and Baqa’a refugee camp in Jordan. All in all, more than $37,000 were raised for this effort and efficiently utilized to keep as many people as warm as possible! This is only the first step to combatting the issue of cold that plagues these struggling regions for a significant portion of the year.

Share the Warmth December in Chicago could be a very trying time for those that are not able to prepare for it. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless believes there to be approximately 80,000 homeless battling the cold on the city streets as of 2018. With our donors and volunteers, we were able to assemble 900 winter care kits to be distributed to shelters and local citizens in need. Each kit contained seasonal necessities such as gloves, hats, socks, emergency blankets, and more. To provide these fundamentals was not just to provide basic comfort to those lacking it, but to also play a large role in safety precaution against the dangerous trials of winter.

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Coats for Langford Academy On December 3rd, 2018, our team visited Langford Academy in Chicago to supply their students with winter coats, hats, and gloves. With donations, we were able to provide every student with these items, totaling 249 of each in all. We are happy to have been put in contact with the deserving elementary students of Langford and hope this small contribution made a significant difference in their semester. As children that are frequently put in the position where they must walk to school or brave the cold for buses, appropriate attire is a necessity. Youth are especially susceptible to low temperatures, so we look forward to continuing this program for winters to come.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Admin It is always our great pleasure to notify inquirers about our 100% donation policy. We make a promise to never take hidden admin fees from donations, ensuring that every cent reaches its rightful destination. We’ve encountered curiosity from many over the years that wonder how we maintain our operations without taking out admin fees as most organizations are wont to do. The answer is simple. By establishing trust between ourselves and our donors, we’ve created extraordinary relationships. Consequently, our admin fund receives a fair amount of care from donors that want to see us succeed, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

The success of our many projects relies on the success of our administration, and we will work relentlessly to sustain our growth. We don’t spend frivolously, and a dollar is never

Finances CONTRIBUTIONS

$3.16m $3.16m

$1.61m

$2.03m

$1.05m

2015

2016

2017

2018

100% of program donations go to the program, always. No admin deducted!

ANNUAL REPORT 2018 // Pious Projects of America

Personal Campaigns Personal campaigns are campaigns in which the public is able to raise money through our platform for a cause that they believe in. These causes could include raising funds for a mosque or water well on our site or an additional cause of ours through Facebook. The dedication we observe from communities that come together for a cause never ceases to amaze us. We love seeing individuals take the lead, and their commitment does not go unnoticed! We look forward to seeing that same dedication from our supporters in 2019.

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www.piousprojects.org 7541 W 99th Pl. Bridgeview, IL 60455 708-978-7000