ZACAH was founded in 2014, by a group of Muslim immigrants in the Southeast Metro region of Minnesota. Our goal is simple: to redistribute wealth within our communities, in response to unjust income disparities that are reflective of structural racism and violence, in the U.S. and around the world.

 

Income disparity and housing insecurity in the U.S. continue to spin out of control. Seventy percent of Americans have less than $800 to bear an unexpected expense before they lose their job or utilities, or face unsheltered homelessness. Minnesota is in the midst of a decades-long housing crisis that our elected officials have failed to address. There have been no advancements in low-income housing (LIH) since the 1980s. The average wait time for public housing or Section 8 housing is 3-8 years, and many hundreds of people experiencing homelessness are waiting on the Coordinated Entry System. No one should go to sleep hungry; lack access to food or medicine; be unable to afford an education, or struggle to meet day-to-day needs. Although this deeply dysfunctional system requires radical upstream intervention to truly change, as Muslims, we believe strongly that we will be accountable for whatever is in our control. Rental and financial assistance is not a long-term solution, but it can be a start.
 

Through ZACAH, you participate in the mutual aid necessary to lessen the distress of those who have been marginalized, neglected and harmed by structural oppression. We provide emergency financial assistance to prevent eviction, job loss and hunger. Since 2017, we have been operating a transitional living home. ZACAH has also taken on a larger role in offering financial aid to people experiencing homelessness, partnering with dozens of social services/housing organizations in the Twin Cities. We are blessed to have been afforded an opportunity to play a larger role in the resettlement and care of refugees and immigrants. Our long-term goal is to expand our transitional home to a larger facility to provide safe, dignified housing for BIPOC and/or Muslim families.

 

This is our responsibility. This is our community. You are our neighbors. Please join ZACAH as we embark on our mission.