by Kaliyah Muhammad
“They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them; He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them.” —Isaiah 49:10
ATLANTA—The Jr. M.G.T. (Muslim Girls’ Training) and M.G.T. Vanguard of Muhammad Mosque No. 15 in Atlanta gathered in mid-December, to volunteer for Hosea Helps annual holiday event feeding the hungry. The event took place at a convention center in the Atlanta area, where volunteers were assigned to different sections. Each section packaged and prepared items such as fresh vegetables, fruit, water, sodas, turkey, gifts and more.
This was one of the many interactions between Hosea Helps and the Nation of Islam. The husband and wife couple who run the organization, Afemo and Elisabeth Omilami, have such tremendous love and admiration for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and have always given homage to the Nation of Islam, stated Jahi Muhammad, director of security for Hosea Helps. “We always get great participation from the local mosque. Everybody loves to see them,” he said.
›Hosea Helps is a community-oriented organization that has been fighting hunger for over 50 years. According to Brother Jahi Muhammad, Reverend Hosea Williams, the founder of Hosea Helps, began his endeavor in 1970 to aid in the anti-hunger mission, by meeting with Dr. William Holmes Borders to organize outreaches and dinners to fight the plague of hunger within our communities. They began hosting holiday dinners and charity events throughout Atlanta. With community volunteers such as politicians, local celebrities, and Muslims from Muhammad Mosque No. 15, Hosea Helps grew into an organization that has a positive impact on the community.
However, in late 2000, Rev. Williams and his wife passed away. Their daughter, Elisabeth Omilami, and her spouse, Afemo Omilami, have continued to serve and give to the community for 22 years. Now, Hosea Helps is a full-scale human services organization that hosts up to eight major events per year. They provide over 500 food boxes a week and aid in rental and job assistance. During the pandemic, Hosea Helps strived to still be involved in the community by doing drive-thru services, and providing 5,000 plus meals to those in need, especially the homeless. They started off with about 100 people and have now expanded to reach over 2,000 families per event.
Now recognized as the largest Black-owned food btank in the Southeast, Hosea Helps is a community organization that supplies free resources to those in need. Bridging the gap in our communities while spontaneously fighting the plague of hunger, Hosea Helps is a salvation to those in need. For more information, visit www.4hosea.org.
Sister Kaliyah Muhammad, is a Jr. Vanguard from Mosque No.15 in Atlanta
