We're asking you to join us and help build the first Muslim Community Youth
Center in Columbus!  There are many Muslim youth centers around the country, but this is the first of it's kind because it is a hub for all the local Muslim youth organizations, and there are SEVERAL.  This is a 2.5 million dollar facility; $500,000 has already been raised, and $291,000 is needed to start work on building the foundation.  We are fundraising in stages for this amount, and starting with $100,000.  

Let's Stop Failing Our Muslim Youth

Recent Gallup polls have shown some alarming statistics about America’s Muslim youth. Young Muslims tend to be angrier and not as happy of different religious backgrounds. There is little doubt that the youth in our community struggle with these same issues as they attempt to hold fast to their faith while feeling different and isolated. We must step up to the task of providing our youth with a safe and fun environment that offers a holistic range of activities and services, Insha Allah.

There are more than 100,000 Muslims living in the Greater Columbus area, and more than 60,000 live in the heart of Columbus. They come from a diversity of backgrounds, culturally and financially. As a result, masjids and musallahs have popped up all over the city catering to the growing Muslim population. More than 10 public chartered schools that have a majority Muslim student population exist in the greater Columbus area, and that number is continuing to grow.

To cater specifically to the Muslim youth, organizations around Columbus have started after-school and weekend programs to address issues particularly in the socioeconomically underserved communities ... and they're doing really AWESOME work! 

As one of the oldest Islamic organizations in Ohio, IFCO (Islamic Foundation of Central Ohio), we've seen these groups work for years. We know that they are doing their best with everything that they have, and we want to continue to help them and provide them with everything that they need to continue to support our youth. We've been supporting them with funds and volunteers from our community. And, they are running against some big challenges.
One common challenge they all face is not having a place where they can call a home, a place where they know they can always go to participate in programs.

Rather than renting gyms from different places or being forced to cancel
programs because a masjid or community center has another conflicting event, they need a place that is dedicated for them. We now have the capacity to help solve their problems!

IFCO has dedicated 3.5 acres of land in the heart of the Columbus Muslim
population for Muslim youth organizations. We have completed the architectural designs, reviewed the documents with engineers, received approval from the City of Columbus to build a 21,000 square foot Muslim Community Youth Center (MCYC), and the only thing that remains is to raise the funds to start construction ...  That's where we need YOUR help.

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Why is this important?

We're building a home for our Muslim youth organizations in order to accomplish the following:

• Our goals are to create lasting personal and social change
• To strengthen our community
• To bring Muslim youth together
• To build character in our Muslim youth

• To enable those who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible Muslims.
• To build a generation of Muslim youth who have courage, confidence, and character, and who make the world a better place.

There’s a reason why this project is unique!

This will be the headquarters for all Muslim youth in Columbus. MCYC will be
located at 5509 Sunbury Road, near the busiest area of the Columbus Muslim
community, close to Columbus International Airport. Not only that, 90% of our
entire Columbus community is within 30 minutes of our facility. This is a stand-alone facility, not physically attached to any masjid, to allow our
youth to keep the focus on the youth center. Day-to-day operations will be
managed by Muslim Youth of Central Ohio (MYCO), with a full-time staff,
including a youth director.​

Our facility has:

• One 5,000 SQ. FT. multipurpose room
• One commercial-grade, professional kitchen
• One NCAA compliant basketball court
• Two full-size basketball courts
• Two co-workspace offices, and
• THERE’S PLENTY OF ROOM FOR ADDING A SWIMMING POOL, AUDITORIUM, AND CLASSROOMS!