By Ashley Goforth, 

The Bronx is home to many great things — a world class botanical garden and zoo, Arthur Avenue and the New York Yankees. But the Bronx is also one of the poorest regions in the country — according to Food Bank research, 50 percent of Bronx residents struggle to afford food.

So when the Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development (MWIRD) reached out to the Food Bank after experiencing a loss of nearly 70 percent of their funding, the Food BAnk knew something had to be done.

With their Benedict Avenue and Highbridge food pantries in the South Bronx, the Institute is a beacon of hope within the the country’s poorest Congressional district. Run by Executive Director Nurah Amat’ullah and four additional paid staff — MWIRD relies heavily on the support of volunteers and donors to keep their doors open and services running smooth. The organization was originally established 14 years ago to serve the Muslim population, but has since grown to serve a diverse population that was in great need of support.

Even though the MWIRD team worked without salaries for six months, they still found themselves facing more than $48,000 in debt. With few options left, they reached out to the media for help in hopes of raising awareness and funds to preserve their organization. An article written in the Daily News brought success that far exceeded our wildest expectation. After reading the article and hearing about the plight of an organization that serves and is depended on by so many, the Collegiate Church Corporation offered MWIRD a grant large enough to cover their debt, pay their staff and even save for the future.

The Food Bank is heartened by many parts of this story — the power of media to inspire, the dedication of our network members, that MWIRD is safe and continues to serve the South Bronx. And there is one more part that I am personally heartened by: in addition to its great teams, attractions and food, more people now know about the great people who sacrifice in order to help the Bronx.