MY Project USA Opens Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center and Mid-Ohio Market

Center will provide food, education, job training, health and financial services in high-need west side neighborhoods

COLUMBUS, Ohio — MY Project USA, the largest Muslim Social Services Organization in Ohio, is opening their very first Youth Empowerment Center and a Mid-Ohio Market in the Hilltop Area.

The grand opening is scheduled for Friday, September 10 at 3:00p. The open house is from 3:00p till 7:00p.  The ribbon cutting ceremony starts at 3:30p. The location of the new Mid-Ohio Market and Youth Center is at 3275 Sullivant Avenue Columbus, OH. The 10,000 sq. ft space will serve as the haven for hundreds of at-risk youths in the neighborhood. Additionally, it will provide the surrounding community with healthy and nutritious food, academic and recreation opportunities. It will also feature a pay-it-forward cafeteria, financial literacy programs, job training for youth & adults, college mentoring and career counseling, free health screenings, the Hilltop Tigers Soccer Club and more.  The programs are designed to both increase access to education and provide young people with safe and productive activities.

“MY Project USA and this center is a gift of Muslim Community to the City of Columbus and our neighbors. This is an emblem of our Muslim faith ingrained in community service, our love for our neighbors, and our shared humanity,” said Zerqa Abid, Founder, President & Executive Director of MY Project USA. “This new center and our partnership with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective is a game changer for our youth and this neighborhood. Here we will continue fostering healthy, productive, proactive Muslim American youth in Central Ohio.”

“We are incredibly grateful to partner with MY Project USA to launch the third Mid-Ohio Market,” said Matt Habash, President & CEO of Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC).  “Mid-Ohio Market at MY Project USA continues to build the model of connecting customers with nutritious food while providing much-needed wrap-around services, addressing the needs of our customers in ways that are most convenient for them. We are grateful to have such a wonderful partner in MY Project USA who is not only serving a community where we see a high need for healthy and nutritious food, but they are bringing much needed programs to help prepare the youth for the future. “

The Chief Guest of the grand opening is Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley. Other guests include Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, Columbus City Council President Pro Tempore Elizabeth Brown, State Senator Tina Maharath, State Representative Adam Miller, and more. These guests will help the Hilltop youth in cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

Primary partners and sponsors for various programs at the center include Mid-Ohio Food Collective, The City of Columbus, The Columbus Foundation, United Way of Central Ohio and National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

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About My Project USA
MY Project USA is a national initiative to protect and empower Muslim, refugee, immigrant and other marginalized youth and families. We are headquartered in the Hilltop area of Columbus, OH. We uplift underprivileged, crime-ridden neighborhoods through social services and civic engagement. We are the largest Muslim Social Services Organization in Ohio. Our featured programs include Hilltop Tigers Soccer Club, MY Family Pantry, Under MY Wing and MY Pathways. Learn more by visiting MYProjectUSA.org

About Mid-Ohio Food Collective
Mid-Ohio Food Collective is the umbrella organization that holds five assets: Mid-Ohio Foodbank, our anchor asset, Mid-Ohio Farm, Mid-Ohio Markets, Mid-Ohio Farmacy, and Mid-Ohio Kitchen. Mid-Ohio Food Collective has a network of 680 partner agencies across 20 counties to connect those in need to food. Learn more by visiting mofc.org.