Tag: support

How to Help Those Affected by the California Wildfires – 2.0

Categories News and Events, San Francisco Bay Area, USA

I’m disheartened as I find myself writing another version of a similarly titled rant.

The wildfires burning across not just the state of California, but the entire western US region is alarming and heartbreaking. Mainly caused by the effects of climate change and a few dumb human mistakes, these fires have now become one of the largest yet on record.

In California, fires have now claimed over 25 lives, burned over 3.2 million acres, with some fires barely 50-70% contained as I write this rant. Even while being many miles away from the closest fire, the smoke has made the air quality all across the Bay Area and the state one of the worst in the world. At one point, according to IQair, we in San Francisco hit 200AQI or “purple”. San Francisco air is now in the “green” for the first time in over a month.

Since my asthma attack earlier this year, I haven’t used my inhaler as much as I have these past several weeks. I have been home for almost three weeks straight and finally went for a walk for the first time this week, masked of course. Yet I keep thinking, how are the people in the heart of this disaster even coping?

The first responders have put their own lives on the line helping people evacuate and attempting to put out these fires. They’ve even gotten help from firefighters from as far as Australia, who battled their own wildfires barely a year ago.

If you still deny that climate change is real, please educate yourself!

So how can we help our fellow Californians in their time of need? Below are a few organizations I’m aware of that are on the grounds. Your donations in the form of finances, awareness, and time would be greatly appreciated.

– The California Fire Foundation is providing both financial and emotional support to our hardworking firefighters on the grounds as well as fallen officers and their families. Let’s be sure to show your appreciation to the amazing s/heroes out there.

– Islamic Relief USA has a Disaster Response Team that is helping those affected by the fires all across the western coast.

– The American Red Cross is also providing assistance for all those affected by the wildfires, from temporary shelters to blood drives.

– The North Valley Community Foundation is continuing what they started during the Camp and Butte fires back in 2018 and providing continued support to local resources across Northern California.

– Of course, the World Central Kitchen is still helping provide hot meals across Calfornia as well as Washington and Oregon states. You can also donate to local food banks in the region through Feeding America.

I’ll update this rant with any additional information I come across to do our part in helping our fellow Americans throughout the west coast. If you have additional information to share, kindly email me or post the sources in the comments below.

SF Sundays – Winter Wonderland!

Categories News and Events, San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco Sundays

Happy December Everyone!!

I do love the city in December. Maybe it’s the holiday lights, maybe it’s my birthday month. I don’t know, I just love San Francisco in December!

Our family may not celebrate Christmas but we sure love the winter season nonetheless, exchanging presents, and decorating our home as we do for Halloween and both Eids each year.

Before we go exploring the city, I do want to remind you that we’ve had massive fires up in the North Bay thanks in part to PG&E negligence (yea, I said it!), heat waves, high winds and dry brush in the past couple of months. If you’d like to help those in need this holiday season, please support the World Central Kitchen, Islamic Relief Fund and the California Fire Foundation.

HAPPENING AROUND TOWN

If you’ve never seen a movie while the amazing San Francisco Symphony performs the soundtrack and music, have you really seen the movie? For the holiday season, expect to find movies like Love Actually, Ghostbusters and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Oh, I can’t wait for that one!

c/o sfsymphony.org

And as with every year, Cirque du Soleil is back in San Francisco with the production of Amaluna, running now through January 22, 2020. Happening at Oracle Park, with another story as told by amazing acrobatic performers and live music. Get your tickets now, these shows are selling out!

Need a friend or two to join you on these amazing wonderland adventures? You should join me as the consul of InterNation’s SF Culture and Arts Group! We check out some beautiful and fun works throughout town on a regular basis.

I entered the cosmos!

Recently, we were invited to the opening of the As Above As Below exhibit at the Menresa Gallery in the St. Ignatius Church of USF. A small but extremely dazzling exhibit bringing astrology, neurology and the arts together. I entered the cosmos and so should you, as you only have until December 15th to check it out. The exhibit is free but be sure to book your tickets online.

We also checked out the season’s must see exhibit, Soul of a Nation, at the de Young Museum. Our group got together last week and were truly immersed in the powerful pieces, from collages and photography to paintings and sculptures. Many in the group did the audio tour which went into further detail, history and relevance of each piece.

Faith Ringgold, 1977 – Alice Neel

Don’t forget the ice rinks are up and running now through January all across the Bay. Head to Union Square Ice Rink and skate around the beautifully lit tree. For the second year, the lovely Winter Park at Civic Center is back. This is an ice rink that the young ones will truly enjoy among the greenery and lights. The Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center is not just open during the holidays but all year long! There are many more ice rinks to skate through the Bay Area, which you can find thanks to TimeOut San Francisco.

YUMMINESS ACHIEVED

Nothing truly scares me like hunger. This week, I want to highlight the food banks that begin their busiest time of the year to help secure food for those in need. I urge you all to check out your local food banks, volunteer and donate.

These facilities are literal life lines to many families and individuals in need, especially those affected by the recent wildfires.

If I missed any food bank or resource in the Bay Area, please include them in the comments below.

Disclaimer: This rant was not sponsored or paid for by the events, organizations or restaurants listed unless otherwise noted. If you’d like me to rant about a happening around town, an awesome organization or a yummy eatery for my SF Sundays rant series, please email ha@mshala.co.

A Dark Day in Christchurch, New Zealand

Categories Islam, News and Events, World
c/o of MuslimGirl

Who, when calamity befalls them, say, “Verily, to God we belong and, to Him we shall return.”

Quran 2:156

Today, March 15th, 2019 has been deemed a dark day in New Zealand. A group of white supremacists went into two Christchurch masjids (mosques) during Friday prayers and opened fire. More than 50 people have been pronounced dead and over 20 people so far have been reported critically injured. A few of the terrorists are currently in custody, including one that posted a 93 page document online on his ideology and reasons for today’s attack.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, gave a strong condemnation in her statement earlier, announcing that this was a terrorist attack on the nation. I am grateful for her words and leadership, one that this world needs.

I am truly dumbfounded by today’s attack but for whatever reason, I’m not as surprised as I should be. We have not forgotten the attacks on houses of worship that have taken place here at home and globally in just the past few years. We have not forgotten the people who were hurt or perished in a moment of prayer and meditation in the safety of their sanctuary.

If you are going to Friday prayers today, be cautious of your surroundings. I urge masjids with separate entrances for ladies (which is usually a side or back door) please ensure it’s safe and guarded. If you’re a non Muslim wanting to grace your local masjid with your support, call ahead or go early. Your solidarity is very much needed and appreciated.

Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, founder of MuslimGirl, shared an excellent five step call to action in her recent Twitter thread which I’ve taken the liberty to share here. In the thread, she shares the LaunchGood crowdfunding campaign being spearheaded to help the victims of the attack.

Please keep the people of New Zealand in your thoughts and prayers. May God grant them strength and patience to get through this difficult, sad time… ameen.

This page is where I’ll add any further updates, other ways to give and show support, and other calls of action as deemed fit.

How to Help Those Affected by the California Wildfires

Categories News and Events, San Francisco Bay Area, USA2 Comments on How to Help Those Affected by the California Wildfires

The wildfires in my home state of California has been devastating. The Camp Fire in Butte County has claimed over 40 lives, burned over 110,000 acres and only 30% contained as of writing. This fire has been so far the worst in California history. A second fire in Southern California’s Ventura County deemed the Woolsey Fire is fast spreading. CAL FIRE reports as of this writing that the fire has spread across over 91,500 acres and only 20% contained. There have been five injuries, three of which are firefighters and I’m praying there will not be reporting of causalities.

Being almost 200 miles away from Butte County, the billowing smoke has affected the air quality here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve used my rescue inhaler over twice a day since the fires began. I’ve stayed indoors as much as possible over the weekend, dunned a face mask when one was available to me but I keep thinking, how are the people in the heart of this disaster even coping?

The first responders have put their own lives on the line helping people evacuate and attempting to put out this fire. Many of them are from Butte County and have family forced to evacuate and lost their own homes in the fire.

So how can we help our fellow Californians in their times of need? Below are a few organizations I’m aware of that are on the grounds. Your donations in the form of finances and time would be greatly appreciated.

Source: AP/Noah Berger via Islamic Relief USA

Islamic Relief USA has a Disaster Response Team that is helping those affected by the fires in both northern and southern California. The California Community Foundation has a Wildfire Relief Fund currently supporting recovery and preparedness. Benevity is supporting the American Red Cross’ efforts on the ground.

According to the Sacramento Bee, shelters have been receiving “generous but useless donations”. Meaning, kindly check what is needed before donating your entire stash of hygiene products. If you can’t donate things like underwear or backpacks, the best thing to do is to donate a gift card from say Target. Your time is also highly appreciated but please inquire ahead, your safety and that of others come first.

I’ll update this post with any additional information I come across on how we can continue to help those affected throughout California. If you have additional information to share, kindly email me or post them in the comments below.

For help, support or information for Butte County, please go buttecounty.net or call 211.

UPDATE – 14 November: ABC7 News Bay Area is teaming up with Vitalant for a blood drive. The North Valley Community Foundation is collection corporate gifts and in-kind donations. To volunteer, head to Caring Choices for more information.

Captured November 21st at 7am on Judah Street

UPDATE – 16 November: GoFundMe has created a central page with verified campaigns to help the victims. The same has been done by Charity Navigator, listing all verified organizations on the grounds in both Northern and Southern California. The California Fire Foundation is providing both financial and emotional support to the firefighters and the fallen officers and their families. Let’s be sure to showcase our support and appreciation to the amazing firefighters and first responders.

For details on the current air quality in the Bay Area, go to airnow.gov and enter the zip code of your area. As of this writing, it’s lingering at 233 here in San Francisco which is “very unhealthy”. According to KTVU, we are experiencing the worst air quality in the world. I took this picture this morning of the smoke looming above the Sunset district. Due to the air quality, most schools and universities are not open today or the rest of the week.

UPDATE – November 21: I’m sure there are many small businesses supporting the victims of the California wildfires. One of them is San Francisco’s QSpa, located on both Steiner and Divisidaro, off the Haight. Right now, QSpa is donating 100% of the proceeds from the sales of their $25 in-house cuticle oil to those affected in Butte County. For $15, you can bring back your empty bottle for a refill.

Final Update – December 1: The Camp Fire may be fully out but there is still much to do to help our friends get their lives back to some form of normalcy and rebuild the many towns affected. I want to be able to continue to showcase my support in any way possible. Therefore, all season long, I’ll be donating some of the proceeds from Ms. Hala’s Boutique to the Islamic Relief USA  and the  California Fire Foundation, two of many amazing organizations helping our friends across the state. Please continue to share this post and add on it to with any additional information in the comments below.

 

Prayers for the Philippines

Categories News and Events, World2 Comments on Prayers for the Philippines

Philippines after the storm, National Post

  .الذين اذا اصابتهم مصيبة قالوا انا لله وانا اليه راجعون

Who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To God We belong, and to Him is our return”
-Quran, 2:156

As many of you are well aware, over the past weekend, the Philippines was struck with what is being deemed the strongest storms to hit land in human history. Many in central Philippines have been evacuated, displaced or deceased. There is no official count yet as to how many causalities but at least several tens of thousands are in dire need of basic supplies to rise from this natural disaster.

Our loved ones in the Philippines need to be in our thoughts and prayers. Their rise from this disaster will not be easy and every bit of support counts! If you’d like to donate and volunteer towards the support and rebuilding efforts, you can do so no matter where you are in the world!

For those of us in Qatar, the Embassy of the Philippines* is collecting donations to be shipped out via Qatar Airways as overseen by the Emir. Donations need to be brought to the embassy no later than this Friday, November 15th and by next Friday, November 22nd. Currently what is of priority are canned foods, canned baby foods, dried foods (crackers, fruits, nuts, etc), over the counter medicines, first aid kits and toiletries (sanitizers and female products). I’ll be making a Carrefour/Almeera run for some of the listed items early Friday morning (Nov 15th). If you are interested in participating or contributing toward these purchases, kindly contact me via Twitter or Facebook as soon as possible.

In cooperation with the Philippine Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent has a goal of collecting $2 million dollars to support over 5,000 families in need. This is to go towards health care and providing temporary shelter amongst the basics as listed above.

For those of you in the United States, you can contribute money and time to the Islamic Relief organization. This 4 star non-profit charity organization is very well known for their tireless efforts in providing hands on support within the US and across the globe. You can donate money either through your local city/state chapter or directly on their website.

As previously shared on my Facebook page through a trusted friend living in the Philippines, you can make contributions to the grassroots organization NAFCON. NAFCON, headquartered in San Francisco, has several branches across California and the US dedicated to disaster relief:

Northern California Chapter: nc@nafconusa.org / 626.534.4971
Southern California Chapter: sc@nafconusa.org / 253.381.7444
Northwest Chapter: nw@nafconusa.org; (206) 659–1896 Midwest Chapter: mw@nafconusa.org; (224) 381–6888
East Coast Chapter: ne@nafconusa.org; (650) 808–5043

The Filipino Community Center in the San Francisco Mission District is also collecting donations and supplies to be sent to the Philippines. To donate, volunteer and contribute to the efforts, kindly call +1415.333.6267 or email: info@filipinocc.org.

This post will be updated regularly, kindly share any legitimate resources you may have to support our brothers and sisters in the Philippines.

*I understand the many concerns people have in dealing with the Filipino government. However, this is being overseen by several trustworthy organizations here in Qatar and the embassy here is highly regarded amongst the Filipino community in Qatar.