Islamic Relief USA: Here’s Everything You Need To Know

Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) is part of a global operation of the same name dedicated to humanitarian causes and relief in crises. The United States operation is one of 38 worldwide and is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. This year, IRUSA reached its 25-year milestone.

IRUSA strives to build up communities through the empowerment of individuals, especially the disadvantaged. The aim is to give a voice to the underserved, and the vision of IRUSA is a world without poverty. This is accomplished by giving relief and treating people with dignity without regard to gender, race, or religion.

This mission is inspired by the Qur’an and honors charity, one of the five pillars of Islam. There are five guiding principles within the mission of IRUSA.

With a myriad of causes in need of assistance, it’s no wonder that this organization has 16 different programs in place to provide assistance.

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina battered the southern coastal United States. Thousands died, millions of dollars of damages were left in her wake, and countless Americans were displaced. Islamic Relief USA deployed into the affected area and provided aid to the hurricane victims.

During this effort, 1.5 million pounds of food were distributed among the needy in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Teams worked to get a medical clinic in Biloxi operational. Evacuees were housed in mosques in Baton Rouge. The temporary mosque shelter provided transportation assistance, access to showers, and storage for personal items.

To further the recovery effort, other needed aid was provided. Getting students back to school was made possible with tuition assistance, school supplies, and equipment. Homeowners were offered help rebuilding houses. Other household needs were given, including bedding, hygiene products, and kitchen items.

A health care facility was needed to serve the East Biloxi area after one of the local clinics was badly damaged. IRUSA provided a double-wide trailer and medical equipment so they could provide treatment and care immediately without charge. About 7,500 people receive care from this clinic during Katrina recovery. The trailer is now located in Leakesville and is still being used to provide medical and dental care for students in the community. The clinic currently sees about 1,500 patients annually.

“Just knowing there are people like you to help us was amazing,” said one New Orleans resident. Also expressing gratitude was a Biloxi clinician: “Our recovery was dependent upon the benevolence of folks such as the Islamic Relief organization, and we just wouldn’t have been able to make it had it not been for you guys.” IRUSA has received numerous other accolades, even receiving letters of thanks from members of the US Congress.

According to Charity Watch, Islamic Relief USA is highly rated in excellence with accountability and transparency. They hold a four-star rating with an overall score of 91 percent. This rating is comprised of a financial score of 87.5 percent and an accountability/transparency score of 100 percent.

On average, funding sources are 97 percent from contributions, gifts, or grants. The remaining 3 percent is earned through fundraising.

Most of the budget is spent directly on programs, with 89 percent being spent on carrying out the mission. They spent 7 percent on raising money and almost 4 percent on administrative expenditures.

Tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and section 527 political organizations are required to file a Form 990 or 990EZ with the IRS.

Islamic Relief’s most recent IRS Form 990 or 990EZ available is for 2016. The following financial data was extracted from the organization’s most recent publicly available tax return for their fiscal year ending December 2016. This financial data can give you a clearer picture of how well they allocate their resources.

Islamic Relief USA has organized a comprehensive provision of services to worthy causes worldwide.

An organization such as this one is quite capable of making an enormous positive impact, and you can offer a hand to help IRUSA reduce suffering in the world.

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Islamic Relief is ready and driven to make the world a better place by not only meeting short-term needs but by also offering long-term provisions to elevate poverty-stricken and disaster-affected communities.

There are a variety of ways to help this cause, and with most of the income going directly toward programs, one’s contributions will surely help improve hopeless situations both here and abroad.