Community Service

Annual Ramadan Fast-a-Thon

The Ramadan Fast-a-Thon is the MSA’s biggest Fall Quarter event. The goal of this Dawah and service event is to ask non-Muslims on campus to pledge to fast for one day, and in return, various business sponsors will donate funds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The fast is broken that day with a dinner for all pledgers, and it is attended by a guest speaker who highlights the importance of the month of Ramadan for Muslims.

Tutoring at the Arab American Action Network

MSA volunteers visit AAAN at least once per week to tutor children in the After-School Youth Program. The kids from the Youth Program have also had the opportunity to visit the University of Chicago campus. This was a great opportunity for MSA members to meet the children, and it also provided the children with an opportunity to experience a college campus.

“Being a tutor helps serve two major goals.  First, if you are consistent, you're able to build a relationship with at least a few kids, and maybe have a long lasting impact on their education.  Second, even if you go a couple of times, you can still help yourself by stepping outside of the U of C bubble and seeing a different part of Chicago, the west side, that you might never have a chance to expose yourself to.”

- MSA Tutor, 2008

Serving Dinner at Masjid Al-Ihsan

MSA visits Masjid Al-Ihsan on the southwest side of Chicago in order to help serve dinner to needy guests on several Sunday nights throughout the year. This is a great way to give back to the surrounding community.

Cooking Dinner for Guests at Ronald McDonald House

Volunteers spent a Friday afternoon and evening cooking a dinner for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House near the University of Chicago. Located several minutes away from campus, the Ronald McDonald House provides a safe, welcoming, and warm home away from home for children receiving treatment at Comer Children’s Hospital.

University Community Service Center: Days of Service

The UCSC hosts quarterly Days of Service that allows students to get involved in service activities at sites throughout the Chicagoland area. MSA volunteer groups have participated in various service projects, including painting an apartment for needy young adults and reorganizing a library at a Chicago public school.