As Zaman's flagship initiative for 25 years, Bayt Al Zahra (BAZ) client services provides food, clothing, shelter, case management services, and other forms of emergency relief to female heads of household and their children. The program serves as the entry point for women and children coming to Zaman living below the poverty line and suffering from abandonment, abuse, disability, divorce, grief, resettlement, neglect, or terminal illness.

As additional community needs evolve, BAZ expands its services to provide more robust humanitarian relief programs for households in urgent and crisis situations. It helps clients stabilize and establish the foundation from which to pursue education, vocational training, and sustainable employment through Zaman’s workforce development program, BOOST.

Social Workers Provide Direct, Holistic Support to Clients

Through a strengths-based case management program, BAZ case managers aim to guide clients to set goals and connect them to a range of benefits to access food, housing, legal aide, health insurance, and childcare. Currently, the program supports client families, hosts seasonal drives; and offers integration support for refugee families. Through relationships with partner organizations throughout the region, BAZ's case management team eliminates barriers and motivates clients to secure all the benefits and services they need to live a more sustainable life.

Women seeking services through Zaman are screened using a self-sufficiency assessment to identify and prioritize their needs. They then collaborate with their BAZ caseworker to design an action plan that removes barriers to success and captures benchmarks. Through regular meetings, Zaman tracks progress in the areas of food security, housing stability, employment/finances, childcare, adult education, healthcare coverage, life skills, mobility/access to transportation, and mental wellness.

Zaman programs that support BAZ's work to meet essential needs include:

• Distribution Drives: Throughout the year, BAZ rallies community resources and partners to provide basic and seasonable necessities to those in need. From holiday distributions to back-to-school giveaways, these events support Zaman clients and the community at large.
• Meet Up & Eat Up Summer Food Program: In partnership with United Way for Southeastern Michigan and Islamic Relief USA, this program provides healthy meals for children from low-income families during the summer months.
• Client Choice Food Pantry: An official partner of Gleaners Community Food Bank, this curated pantry allows families to experience a dignified shopping experience while selecting culturally appropriate and nutritionally balanced food each month.
• Good Deeds Resale Shop: This resale shop provides a free, dignified selection experience for clients in need of clothes, and household goods.
• Orphan Hope: Operating locally and globally, the Orphan Hope program provides basic needs and ongoing support to widow and orphan households.

For more information about Bayt Al-Zahra: The House of Light and Hope, contact Zaman International at info@zamaninternational.org or (313) 551-3994.