Zakat Foundation of America

Zakat Foundation of America  is a Chicago-based, Muslim non-profit organization that is dedicated to alleviating the immediate needs of the worlds' poorest communities through emergency relief and post-disaster rehabilitation, as well as providing development, education, healthcare, and orphan sponsorship programs, as well as seasonal programs, such as Ramadan Iftars and Udhiya/Qurbani distributions.

Zakat Foundation of America is recognized and registered under 501(c)(3) as a non-profit charity organization; therefore all donations are tax exempt.

Zakat Foundation of America is unique among humanitarian organizations in advancing zakat as a vehicle for social change. The third pillar of Islam, zakat is an obligatory claim on the wealth of the affluent to empower the indigent. ZF channels this egalitarian spirit of zakat into a global vision of social development that transcends national boundaries, and stands as the foremost authority on interpreting zakat as a factor for positive change.

ZF strives to be an exceptional relief and development organization utilizing sustainable methods, while modeling the spirit of cooperative internationalism that will be essential in an increasingly unstable world. As a direct result of its reputation for path-breaking humanitarianism with a global vision, ZF is rapidly growing in reach and capacity. Every year brings new projects that expand the scope of our work and deepen its impact on the communities we serve.
Our Mission

We foster charitable giving to alleviate the immediate needs and ensure the self-reliance of the poorest people around the world with zakat and sadaqa dollars of privileged Muslims and the support of other generous donors. We believe that people of privilege can “purify” their wealth through charity, and those tried with loss are accorded a rightful share from the resources of the affluent.