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An important part of the Holy Month of Ramadan is the act of giving and helping the less fortunate. Since the pandemic has worsened the living conditions of many, now more than ever, it’s time to help out any way we can.
While UAE authorities have restricted the public distribution of food, several initiatives have been set up to allow donations of free meals to children, families, and anyone who is in need. Read on for all the ways you can help someone out this Ramadan.
100 Million Meals
100 Million Meals is a campaign launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to fund 100 million free meals in 20 countries across the region, making it one of the region’s largest food drives.
To donate: Donations within the UAE can be made through SMS (Etisalat and Du) by texting Meal to the numbers listed on the website. The campaign’s call center will receive big donations via toll-free number, 8004999. If you wish to donate from outside the UAE, you can do so with any amount starting from AED 1 through the campaign’s website or through a bank transfer to Dubai Islamic Bank account with IBAN no: AE080240001520977815201.
A Meal for a Brighter Tomorrow
The initiative is a result of Dubai Holdings’ partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) aimed at supporting child nutrition in countries across the region including, Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The campaign kicks off this Ramadan up until Eid Al Adha enabling school meals to reach children in need.
To donate: Download the UNWFP ‘s ShareTheMeal app or visit sharethemeal.org. The app allows you to see where your meals will go and keep track of the total contributions made towards the goal of every child receives what he needs.
Ramadan Heroes
Last year, Dubai Culture in cooperation with Dar Al Ber, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Industrial City, Talabat, and Art for Good Group launched the Ramadan Heroes initiative to honor laborers in the city. This Ramadan, the initiative has expanded and will also include support for families in need across the emirate in cooperation with Talabat, Emirates Red Crescent Authority, and the UAE Food Bank.
To donate: Download the Talabat app where you will find the Ramadan Heroes option. From there, your donations will be made and your meals will be sent out. The options given are two food boxes containing staple food necessities such as rice, oil, and canned foods. The bigger the box, the more families you feed.
Dar Al Ber Society
As one of the first charities established in the UAE, Dar Al Ber Society provides more than 8,000 free meals to people in need each day during Ramadan. The charity also aims to provide clothing for 1,600 people through donations. Other initiatives include giving food baskets, as well as raising Zakat Al Fitr for 7,000 beneficiaries in the UAE.
To donate: You can visit the organization’s website daralber.ae, download the mobile app, or through their customer service centers in Dubai, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah.
Eat a Plate 2 Fill a Plate
Careem has set up a program that allows customers to directly donate a meal to someone in need using the new Eat a Plate 2 Fill a Plate feature under the food section in its app. With every meal you purchase, a partner restaurant will donate a meal to a child through the UNWFP’s ShareTheMeal initiative.
To donate: On the Careem app, in the food section, click on the category named Eat a Plate 2 Fill a Plate. There, you will find a list of the restaurants participating in this initiative.
Fujairah Charity Association
Fujairah Charity Association has launched an iftar meals project that will deliver food to 85 distribution points in Fujairah and Dibba. The charity is aiming to provide a total of half a million meals throughout Ramadan.
To donate: Visit the charity’s website fujcharity.ae and choose the location you would like to aid with access to the expected cost of the meals, with your choice of payment.
Sharjah Charity International
Sharjah Charity’s Ramadan campaign called Joud, aims to distribute one million iftar meals inside and outside the country as well as deliver food baskets to 25,000 beneficiaries. This will take place from 93 sites across Sharjah as well as select locations outside the UAE.
To donate: Donations can be made through the charity’s website as well as via text and bank transfer. For more information on the initiative, you can contact this toll-free number, 80014.
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