9th annual Ramadan Herndon Without Hunger aids locals in need.
The Stock Market has been posting record highs. Homes in the local market have been selling in less than two weeks, sometimes for more than asking price—rising numbers that constantly make the news, all while another less publicized statistic about our area has also risen: the number of families in need, like those who attend the Herndon Without Hunger (HWH) food distribution that takes place during the holy month of Ramadan.
“During Ramadan, Muslims choose to fast during daylight hours, but we know that all around us others don’t have that choice, the choice is made for them and their families,” said Somayyah Ghariani, the coordinator of HWH. “During Ramadan, we will host food distributions on Thursdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m., starting on July 11, with the last event on Aug. 1.”
HWH is a program of the Foundation for Appropriate and Immediate Temporary Help (FAITH), a non-profit that started at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society as an informal group of people just wanting to be of service to the community. Under the guidance of President and Founding Director Tanveer Mirza, FAITH became a 501(c) organization in 1999.
Ambreen Ahmed is the executive director of FAITH and deeply involved in the Herndon Without Hunger program. “FAITH runs a food pantry in Herndon all year, as well as a thrift store and two shelters, but this program is about going out into the community, reaching more people, and giving more people a chance to be of service and to see the needs of their neighbors for themselves,” said Ahmed. “The first year we ran the food outreach program, we started at our own offices. As more people came for help, we moved to the library, then the middle school. Here we are today in the Herndon High School cafeteria, and there are still a few people waiting outside the door.”
