In the true spirit of Zakah charitable giving is more than just the provision of material items (food and clothing, money); it also involves supporting mental, emotional, social, and intellectual well-being.

At the heart of FAITH’s mission and programs lies the following: to help those in need achieve self-sufficiency, and through this, restore their human dignity.
As an organization, we work towards building self-sufficiency in the individuals and families that we support. Our programs help enrich the lives of our clients by facilitating and empowering them to develop their spiritual, mental, emotional and intellectual selves.

Our primary mandate is to preserve and restore the human dignity of a person, by providing several social services programs. If a person is struggling, we aim to restore and improve their state by providing support and services that address their struggles.

Where most charitable organizations focus on one area (a single, current need such as food, or clothing or housing), we seek to support the entire person. From helping them solve immediate needs and challenges to providing avenues towards building, sustaining and enriching their lives through education, awareness and opportunities. Through our holistic approach to charitable giving and support, we strive to help those in need raise their lives to a higher level.

To achieve this goal, we’ve aligned our mission to the spirit of Zakah, which in its literal and simplest meaning is purity. Zakah is not just a form of charity or tithe, nor is it simply an expression of kindness. It is all of these things and more. Zakah, in its deepest expression, is an acknowledgement of one’s abundance and serves as a means to aid others- the act of which creates abundant enrichment and spiritual investment– to the benefit of the giver, the recipient and society-at-large.

FAITH operates under the full expression of Zakah by seeking to address and support the whole person—from their immediate physical needs to gaining skills for a prosperous future. This holistic support allows our clients to move from a life of need, despair and scarcity to a life of independence, self-reliance, dignity and self-sufficiency.

When you look at our programs, clients that we support take a journey from need to independence. Many of our clients move from a demoralizing shelter-based living environment to becoming first-time home buyers. Regarding our clients who are refugees and have escaped war-torn lives and who’ve suffered extreme traumas – familial death, and left terrified of life and despondent about their future – we are conducting extensive programs. (through a network of social, psychological and psychiatric services) involving mental health from assessment and diagnosis to treatment.

We take a holistic approach to giving aid: addressing immediate needs in sync with providing programs that foster independence and self-assurance. For example, clients that receive bill-pay assistance also receive guidance, training and support designed to help increase their income and financial literacy (programs involving multi-week on-the-job training, and skill certification training).

Our programs are designed to support the entire family unit. Our support encompasses/addresses the entire family: men, women and children. We recognize children are our society’s future. As we work to stabilize and support parents, we also offer programs for their children to develop into healthy, positive and thriving individuals. Our enrichment programs, workshops and other cultural activities are structured to expand their minds, develop their intellect, and generate experiences which will better enable them to achieve future success.

And we are achieving great strides: the majority of the children (at the secondary and post-secondary levels) that we are supporting are excelling— most are consistently receiving high marks and grades. One recently has gone on to attend medical school; another is attending nursing school.