“I felt completely alone. I was living in a domestic violence shelter with my 1 year old son, fleeing from a dangerous situation, wondering where life would take me next, until I started working with Pillars of Peace."

This is a quote from one of our survivors who reached out to us a little over a year ago. She was staying at a domestic violence shelter in the NYC area at the time. Pillars of Peace was mentioned to her as a domestic violence agency that, though open to all, had tailored services to the Muslim community. She got in touch and was immediately supported by our team of case managers. She felt seen and heard given our staff is comprised of both Muslims and those who are well-equipped to understand Muslim-specific issues when it comes to domestic violence. 

Through our Resilience & Stability Program, our case managers helped her secure an emergency Section 8 housing voucher, navigate how to use such voucher, and secured her first apartment where she could take her first steps into independent living. 

Through our Financial Relief Program, in partnership with Zakat Fund, we were able to secure her ample funding to pay her security deposit, first month's rent, and other essentials like food and clothes. This financial assistance allowed her to focus on securing employment and empowered her on her path to self-sufficiency. 

Through our Hope & Healing Program, we had our in-house mental health counselor at the time provide her initial counseling and then refer her to another agency that has been since providing her with consistent mental health support. 

She is now employed, raising her son, and onto securing another apartment that better fits her and her son's needs. 

We are extremely proud of her and honored to have been and continue to be part of her journey!

Domestic and gender-based violence in our communities is an urgent and pervasive issue. The scale and severity of the issue is far and wide and we recognize the profound impact it has on millions of individuals who endure physical and emotional abuse within intimate relationships and intergenerational family relationships. 

• On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.
• 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.
   

The Muslim community is not excluded from these statistics. A survey of 801 American Muslims found that 31% reported experiencing abuse within an intimate partner relationship and 53% reported experiencing some form of domestic violence during their lifetime. (Peaceful Families & Project Sakinah 2011 DV Survey). 

There are simply not enough services to support survivors from the Muslim community. In response to this need, Pillars of Peace was created by community members from the ICNYU.

Pillars of Peace offers a wide variety of services to serve individuals who may not be comfortable going to agencies who are not familiar with their religious and cultural backgrounds.

Noora House

Pillars of Peace purchased, and renovated a building which will serve as Noora House, a confidential emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence. We are thrilled to share that we are accepting referrals for individuals seeking shelter, please do let us know if you or someone you know is seeking a safe space.

We are extremely grateful for your help in getting us to this point. We envision this to be a haven for individuals seeking safety and refuge. We want this to be a warm, welcoming space, providing comfort to individuals taking a bold step in fleeing abuse. We humbly request your ongoing support with running the shelter. The shelter will offer free counseling sessions, support groups, case management, and financial microgrants. The annual operational cost of Noora House is $400,000. 

Noora House Cost Breakdown

$5.80: Round trip Metrocard for residents 

$35: Safe personal phone line for residents 

$100: Welcome package with soap, toothbrush, toiletries, hygiene products, journal, snack etc.

$2500: Microgrant upon departure from shelter 

$5000: Monthly counseling for 15-20 individuals 

$6750: Monthly halal food supply for all residents 

$7,000: One Resident’s full three month stay

$25,000: A mother and two children’s full three month stay

$33,000: One Month’s worth of expenses for our facility 

$100,000: Cost to support our entire shelter for all of the residents full 3-month stay

By supporting Pillars of Peace, you are contributing to an organization dedicated to addressing these alarming statistics and amplifying the voices of survivors. Your contributions can help provide essential services, support systems, and resources for survivors, ultimately playing a crucial role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence and fostering safer, more resilient communities.