raised of $100,000 USD goal
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/rebuild_with_love_rebuild_black_churches_support_victims_of_arson_across_the_south
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Impact: United States
Verification in progress. Learn More
This campaign will collect all funds raised by July 18, 2015 at 7:45 AM EDT
8 Black churches have been burned to the ground since the shooting of 9 parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. These church burnings happened within the span of 10 days. Three were undoubtedly set by arsons; the others are pending investigation. But to many it is clear that these are attacks on Black culture, Black religion and Black lives. These kinds of attacks on Black churches are a very old form of intimidation in the South, historically used to strike fear into the hearts of Black people.
Its Ramadan and we are experiencing firsthand the beauty and sanctity of our mosques during this holy month. ALL houses of worship are sanctuaries, a place where all should feel safe, a place we can seek refuge when the world is too much to bear. We are calling on you to help add our support to faith communities across the country pooling their resources to rebuild these churches. There has not been anywhere near the amount of resources needed to rebuild these churches. The time is now, let's unite to help our sisters and brothers in faith.
As Muslims we know the importance of protecting the vulnerable and respecting people who call on God in their various tongues. We want for others what we want for ourselves: the right to worship without intimidation, the right to safety, and the right to property. We must always keep in mind that the Muslim community and the black community are not different communities. We are profoundly integrated in many ways, in our overlapping identities and in our relationship to this great and complicated country. We are connected to Black churches through our extended families, our friends and teachers, and our intertwined histories and convergent present. Too often cowards inflict us with a crippling fear, but with encouragement and support from likely and unlikely places fear cannot stop us.
"...you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant." -Qur'an 5:82
Imam Zaid Shakir on this urgent need: "The American Muslim community cannot claim to have experienced anything close to the systematic and institutionalized racism and racist violence that has been visited upon African Americans. Unless, of course, we are talking about those of us who are members of the African American Muslim community. As a whole, however, we understand the climate of racially inspired hate and bigotry that is being reignited in this country. We want to let our African American brothers and sisters know that we stand in solidarity with them during this dark hour. As a small symbol of that solidarity, during this blessed month of Ramadan, we are gathering donations to help rebuild the seven churches that have been burned down since the racist murders in Charleston, South Carolina."
Our network of Muslim activists and organizations, including Muslim ARC, the Arab American Association of New York and Ummah Wide will handle all of the logistics for ensuring the funds get to these churches. We have contacts with pastors and church leaders who we will work with to see that these funds get to the churches that need it most.
"If God had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. God will certainly help those who help Him - God is All-Strong, Almighty" -Qur'an 22:40
Help by donating here.
Ask questions about who is responsible for these church burnings with the trending hashtag #WhoIsBurningBlackChurches
Petition the President to re-convene the National Church Arson Task Force: Sign Here
Organize a teach-in or training to understand church burnings and how to protect houses of worship and fundraiser to support rebuilding
Organize a solidarity event with African American churches and use the Muslim ARC #BlackLivesMatter toolkit
And of course, pray. Pray hard.
If you would like more information on the history of church burnings in America as tactics of intimidation, click here: History of Church Burnings
#WhoIsBurningBlackChurches- Timeline of Destruction, 2015
June 17 Charleston church shooting. Nine African Americans killed and tenth shot and survived the mass shooting. (Arrest made)
June 22 College Hill Seventh Day Adventist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee (arson)
June 23 God’s Power Church of Christ in Macon, Georgia (arson)
June 24 Briar Creek Road Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina (arson)
June 26 Glover Grove Baptist Church in Warrenville, South Carolina (arson)
June 26 The Greater Miracle Apostolic Holiness Church in Tallahassee, Florida, also burned to the ground (electrical wiring)
June 24 Fruitland Presbyterian Church in Gibson County, Tennessee (still under investigation)
July 1 Mount Zion AME Church, which the KKK torched 20 years ago, burned to the ground (still under investigation)
We would like to warmly thank Sound Vision for believing in this project enough to sponsor us and partner with us!
Become a sponsor: If you are interested in sponsoring #RebuildwithLove through a sizable contribution, please email faatimahknight@gmail.com.
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/rebuild_with_love_rebuild_black_churches_support_victims_of_arson_across_the_south
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
S. Marisol Asselta
Rusha Latif
Yama Achikzai
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
Charlie Hunter
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
Marc Greenberg
Naveen Malik
Aziz Dhanani
azam qureshi
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
Petra Alsoofy
Phillip Weeks
An Anonymous kind soul
Shafath Syed
An Anonymous kind soul
Immensely Grateful
Dear donor & supporter,
We are profoundly humbled by your donations! We are honored to be the means through which you give.
With gratitude,
Respond with Love Team
Thank you 1,000x over!
You have exceeded our expectations. And yet you remind of the power of the human spirit and the inexhaustible reality that is human kindness.
1,268 people. That's the number I'm looking at. The number of people who have contributed so far. We see each of your names when you contribute and we acknowledge you- you are not just a number to us. Likewise your contribution is just not money, it is thought and compassion.
We appreciate you so much.
We also need more funds. Will you help us spread the word? We would be so grateful if you could bring one person on board to help out with this project. We believe deeply in this project and we hope that you do as well. We only keep asking for more because you keep exceeding our expectations and because these churches really need the money. If you have ideas for how we might further spread the word, do let us know. We are open to whatever will increase the aid and impact. We want these good people back in the places they love and find respite in as soon as possible.
With gratitude,
Respond with Love team
Thank you again!
You are all amazing. We want to thank all 828 of you. You are a testament to human kindness and we appreciate you beyond what word can say.
We hope to update you in the next couple of days about how we are strategically reaching out to those churches most in need. Remember, this is not an easy task since where there was once a phone, there is now rubble. But we are serious about reaching out to them and giving these funds in the most effective way possible.
Again, thank you so very much.
With gratitude,
Respond with Love Team
$18,024!
Thank You. All 406 of you! You are amazing. May God bless you and your families. Through this campaign we are showing each other what we can do when we come together behind something so meaningful. Together, we are a powerful force for good.
While this is an incredible first step we have to remember, that this is 8 churches that we are talking about that were burned down. Totaling, millions of dollars in property damage and even greater psychological wounds left in these communities.
We believe that we can reach $20,000 by this evening. We’ve only got $1,976 to go. Can you continue you pass on your spirit of generosity and recommend this project to a friend or family member? We would be so grateful.
Please keep sharing this campaign and God willing, and in Gods name, we build something beautiful together,
#RespondWithLove Project Team
15 hours $11,324 - Thank You!
Thank You to everyone of our incredible 225 donors to the #RespondWithLove Project. We reached our initial goal in 15 hours, but it is clear with the community response that we are just getting started. We are all deeply humbled by your generosity and the wide community support.
While this is an incredible first step we have to remember, that this is 8 churches that we are talking about that were burned down. Totaling, millions of dollars in property damage and even greater psychological wounds left in these communities.
We believe that we can do more, can we make it to $20,000 by the end of Friday?
Can we make a collective statement that the Muslim & interfaith community will not stand for hate against any people or against any house of worship?
Please keep sharing this campaign and God willing, and in Gods name, we build something beautiful together,
#RespondWithLove Project Team
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/v4/campaign/rebuild_with_love_rebuild_black_churches_support_victims_of_arson_across_the_south
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Every donation is backed by our Trust & Safety guarantee.
Each fundraiser is reviewed by our team to ensure they are legitimate.
Our encryption and security protocols protect your personal information and financial data.
We take great care in providing a world-class giving experience.
Backed by our Trust & Safety guarantee
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over $77.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/rebuild_with_love_rebuild_black_churches_support_victims_of_arson_across_the_south
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
