Some companies have embraced the spirit of Ramadan by tying in themes of goodness and giving. Here are some companies making strides with their Ramadan initiatives!
Some companies have embraced the spirit of Ramadan by tying in themes of goodness and giving. Here are some companies making strides with their Ramadan initiatives!
With Muslims making up the second-largest religious group globally, it is no surprise that companies are taking notice of Ramadan.
While multinational companies have been celebrating Ramadan in Muslim-majority countries for a while, it is still not something that is as visible in the United States, Canada, or the U.K.
Even then, sometimes regional Ramadan initiatives can flop. Some Ramadan campaigns have been roasted for not taking cultural and regional differences into account in the past.
One way to prevent this is by consulting with Muslim organizations to be more inclusive and culturally sensitive. Some companies, in particular, have embraced the spirit of Ramadan by tying in themes of goodness and giving. Here are some companies making strides with their Ramadan initiatives:
GoFundMe
GoFundMe will for the first time celebrate Ramadan on their platform. While focusing on the giving part of this month, the crowdfunding leader will showcase Zakat-eligible charities like Zakat Foundation of America, UNHCR, and Penny Appeal USA during the last 10 nights of Ramadan.
To ensure their creativity aligned with Muslim audiences, they have commissioned popular Muslim calligraphy and typography artist Qasim Arif from ILLM for artwork. They also worked closely with the leading authority on Zakat and Ramadan giving, Zakat Foundation of America, to ensure accuracy.
DoorDash
The technology company DoorDash has partnered with Zakat Foundation of America to feed 15,000 people in the United States. The warm meal distributions will occur across the country in Ramadan, from New York to California, with many regions seeing nearly 415 meals distributed per week.
“Ramadan is among the most sacred months of the year for Muslims around the world. The ability to break fast each day of the month at sunset is critical to the holy month,” said Nadia Z. Ismail, Muslims@DoorDash Community Chair:
“To support the community during their month of fast, DoorDash is honored to be highlighting local, halal-certified merchants and donating $1 per order from those merchants to Zakat Foundation of America to help combat food insecurity. DoorDash’s partnership with Zakat Foundation of America will help ensure thousands of people in America are fed during this crucial time of worship.”
Facebook is celebrating Ramadan as the #MonthofGood with more ways for people to explore, inspire and express good across its apps. Facebook is encouraging others to show kindness and give back to their communities through new resources and features.
It’s also encouraging its users to give to charities with active Facebook fundraisers from charities like Zakat Foundation of America, Rahma Worldwide, UNHCR, Heroic Hearts, and Molham Volunteering Team.
Macy’s
Macy’s has always held limited Ramadan events at select locations such as Costa Mesa and their San Francisco flagship store. This year, Macy’s held a Ramadan program in San Francisco that featured poetry by artist Alia Sharrief and Muslim scholar Dr. Hatem Bazian. This program was helmed by a Muslim employee who wanted to create more inclusivity within the store.
These are just a few of the many companies that are genuinely taking the time to learn about Ramadan and implement ways to include others about the importance of it. We hope that in a time of Islamophobia, we can see more companies step up and celebrate this special month with us all.
