GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — While the pandemic was difficult on every community, getting the right information and resources out to people who don’t speak English or Spanish was especially hard.
When Wafa Haddad Started Noor’s Heaven eight years ago, she saw the Arab and Muslim community she wanted to help had been falling through the cracks, which she attributes largely to a language barrier.
“Many organizations were providing lots of service for lots of people," Haddad says, "but the Arab people did not know they were welcome.”
When the pandemic hit, Noor's Heaven became an even more vital resource - translating and directly messaging the most up-to-date safety information to their clients.
“I start to send information in the Arabic language and English language with a small picture to raise awareness about what’s going on,” she says.
Wafa says March and April were the toughest, but after partnering with warehouses and other organizations, Noor’s Heaven was able to start feeding more than 100 families a week.
“Come over for any need for food," Wafa would tell her clients. "I’m gonna distribute 10,000 pounds [here], 6,000 pounds [here], come over to that location - or, open the door, I am on my way to you.”
The big pickup days are Tuesdays and Fridays, but for people that come in for other services and might need something extra, the office's break room has leftover dry goods, in case somebody needs to come in and just grab a bag of rice to help get them through the week.
More than just providing meals, Noor’s Heaven gives its Muslim clients peace of mind by periodically supplying halal meats and meals, which other pantries often lack.
“If it’s not halal according to Islam, a lot of Muslims would not take it," Wafa says. "So I keep that portion of the protein for halal aside.”
More than a food pantry, Wafa says Noor's Heaven is a one-stop shop for Arab and Muslim people to get help with anything they may need, from housing to taxes to starting a business and everything in between.
You can help pantries like Noor's Heaven by making a donation to the United Way by texting PANTRY to 50503. You can also bring a food donation to the station on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Click here for more info.
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