Food Distribution at the Muslim Community Center (MCC), Pleasanton, CA
Founded in 2007, the Muslim Community Center (MCC) is a Food Bank partner with a vibrant constituency, representing ethnicities from across the globe. The organization’s mission is rooted in faith with a profound commitment to aiding their neighbors in need, including food security.
As Aminah Abdullah, an MCC staff person, explains, “A huge part of our faith is giving back to the community. That takes up a huge amount of our budget, resources, and time.” MCC offers not only a food pantry, but rental assistance, refugee support, burial support, and donations of bicycles and vehicles to assist individuals in getting a job.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for MCC’s food pantry initiative. What began as a modest collection of essentials like rice, cereal, beans, and peanut butter stored in a small closet, transformed into a large-scale operation supported by the Food Bank. This partnership allowed MCC to expand its offerings, including fresh produce and culturally sensitive food options for the diverse community it serves.
“You want to give the community what they want to eat – especially kids,” said Aminah. “You can’t give someone peanut butter and jelly when they are used to eating noodles and tofu. As a parent, it’s hard to explain to a child that you can’t afford it.”
The Food Bank’s partnership with MCC has also included roughly $80K in grants to help them strengthen their operations. This funding has facilitated the purchase of commercial refrigerators, freezers, storage racks, and a sprinter van, enhancing MCC’s capacity to serve the community.
That capacity was crucial when the Afghan refugee crisis hit. Aminah recalls saying, “Let’s fill our warehouse up to the brim!” The warehouse now serves as a pantry stocked with food, diapers, clothing, household items, bicycles, toys, and school supplies.
Despite the challenges, including the emotional toll of encountering so much need, Aminah finds joy in the work. “It can be a depressing job some days, so if you don’t laugh and find joy and thankfulness, it could be really sad.” However, the MCC team focuses on enabling families to achieve financial independence, treating everyone with dignity and compassion.
MCC’s work is not just about meeting immediate needs; it’s about empowering individuals. “We are in a position to serve, and that’s a privilege,” said Aminah. “Every person in the world deserves that.”
