This Ramadan, Please Support Our Coronavirus Emergency Appeal

"A person is not a believer if they fill their stomach while their neighbour is hungry."  
- Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

This holy month of Ramadan, we are working closely with the Muslim community to raise funds for our Coronavirus Emergency Appeal. Together, we can ensure that thousands of vulnerable people get the food and support they urgently need to get through this terrible crisis.

With the help of Muslim supporters, volunteers, charities and Mosques, we are already delivering food aid to more people than ever before – feeding refugees, asylum seekers, homeless people, the elderly and many others experiencing hunger and poverty. But what will happen after the pandemic, when the lockdown finally ends?

We are on the brink of a deep economic depression. Millions of jobs will be lost in the UK alone. The poorest and most vulnerable will be devastated – a further unjust blow to those already struggling to survive in and around Brent.

Covid-19 respects no boundaries and doesn't discriminate between race or religion – but nor does love, compassion or the principal of sharing. 

Now is the time for people of all faiths and backgrounds to work together to feed and support those most in need – not just today, but for the whole year ahead when government support and charitable donations run dry and poverty levels soar.

Salma, a single mum and one of the many ‘working poor’ refugees we support, finally found a job as a cleaner last November. As is often the case, Universal Credit doesn’t cover her rent and she relied on her zero-hour contract to keep her children fed and housed. 

In March, she was told to go home – for good. Furlough wasn't an option as the restaurant she worked in was forced to close, permanently. Now, she is forced to choose between feeding her children or paying her bills. She lives in fear of her mounting debts and is losing all hope. 

By supporting our Coronavirus Appeal this Ramadan, you can help Salma and hundreds of others like her that urgently need essential food, toiletries and professional advice to keep a roof over their heads. Every penny you donate during this spiritual month will directly fund a year-long programme of Emergency Support that Sufra established in response to the pandemic and economic crisis. For the rest of the year, Sufra will be:

• Scaling up food parcel provision to unprecedented levels – we’ve already had a 250% increase in demand.
• Securing additional premises so that we can deliver 500+ hot meals a day to the homeless and those in need.
• Increasing yields of fruit and vegetables in our Community Garden to supplement our food supplies.
• Providing professional welfare advice (in English and Arabic) to everyone we support, to help them become financially independent.
• Running courses to improve the skills, education and resilience of our guests, and ensure they are better equipped to survive the economic crash.

This Ramadan let's unite as a community to support those who will be left behind in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Every £50 will provide an emergency food parcel for a family of four.

Every £100 will help us provide welfare advice and support for someone who needs to apply for Universal Credit but can’t read English.

Every £400 can help keep our van running for a month, so that we can collect and distribute food to homeless people in temporary accommodation.

Every £1000 will help run our Community Kitchen Delivery Service for those with no access to cooking facilities or hot food.

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Zakat al-Mal and Zakat al-Fitr

Sufra NW London is able to distribute Zakat al-Mal and Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of observant Muslims to needy individuals and families living in North-West London.

All Zakat funds are restricted to providing emergency aid (including food, clothing and hostel accommodation). No zakat funds are used for the general running costs of the organisation.

You can find our Zakat Policy here.

To pay Zakat al-Mal (2.5% of annual savings) use this link.

To pay Zakat al-Fitr (£5/person) use this link.