Emergency Relief Unit
“Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
(Holy Qur’an Chapter 2, Verse 277)
The Islamic Society of Central Florida is dedicated to assisting and supporting in local, state, and neighboring states in emergency relief work for the purpose of helping our fellow Americans in a time of need, and reflecting the spirit of Islam through compassionate action.
The Islamic Society of Central Florida has been involved in the work of emergency relief ever since the 2004 Hurricane season that decimated certain regions within the state of Florida including the greater Orlando area. The effort included opening the MECCA center as a shelter for our neighbors from all walks of life. Through this effort the center was designated by the American Red Cross as a certified shelter for Orange County.
In 2005, the local American-Muslim community shared the horror with the rest of the country from the images of the New Orleans and Mississippi ravaged areas. It did not take long for the Islamic Society of Central Florida leadership to decide on mobilizing teams for the next few weeks to travel to certain areas in Alabama and Mississippi and help support the relief efforts. However, the scale of the mission included four consecutive trips with 18 wheeler semi-trucks filled with donated items that were collected by the community such as water, clothes, perishable items, and canned foods along with debris removal teams to help with the clean-up effort.
Relief Efforts Review
Continuing on the Katrina response initiative and based on the belief that Muslims are a part of the main fabric of this country; our emergency response team continues to prepare for any major emergency that might take place in the community. Through partnerships our volunteers receive training from the following agencies to prepare effectively for any natural disaster.
Partnerships:
- American Red Cross
- City of Orlando CERT (Citizen Emergency Response Team)
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Members of Emergency Team with Homeland Security |
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Help support the effort:
Register for Emergency Text Alerts in Orange County
Register for Emergency Text Alerts in Seminole County
In the News:
Muslim Community Responds Article
Foray into Disaster Relief Article
Diverse Faiths Heed the Call Article
We are committed to preparing our emergency response team by providing the best of training and equipment. If you would like to join this rewarding effort, please contact (407) 273-8363