Frequently asked questions

MMY is a youth-led, volunteer-based 501(c)⁠(3) nonprofit in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Since 2015 we have served Murfreesboro and Rutherford County through community service, interfaith engagement, and youth empowerment.

MMY was founded in 2015 after the killing of three young Muslim students, Deah, Yusor, and Razan, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was also a response to the anti-Muslim sentiment surrounding the construction of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. MMY was created to help local youth overcome hatred and alienation and to show them how beautiful and welcoming their community truly is.

No. Our events and services are open to everyone, and many of our volunteers, partners, and the families we serve are of other faiths or none. Our interfaith programs exist to bring neighbors of all backgrounds together.

No. MMY is a fully independent 501(c)⁠(3) nonprofit, governed by its own volunteer board. We partner with many faith communities, schools, and organizations in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, but we are not part of any of them.

MMY is based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and serves families and young people in Murfreesboro and across Rutherford County.

MMY runs programs in three areas: community service (food security, crisis assistance, refugee support, community drives, and the Three Winners Scholarship), interfaith engagement (Love Your Neighbor, A Seat at the Table, Appreciation Iftar, and Murfreesboro Loves), and youth programs (leadership, education, civic engagement, sports, MIST, and MMY at MTSU).

Our home is the MMY Center at 1321 Greenland Dr, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 330735, Murfreesboro, TN 37133.

No. MMY is 100% volunteer-based with no employees. Every board member is a volunteer and a financial contributor to MMY.

Yes. MMY is a registered 501(c)⁠(3) nonprofit, EIN 47-4437752, so donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Yes. Zakat given to MMY stays in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County and supports families in need. Email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org with any questions about zakat.

100% of donations stay in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County and fund our programs. We publish an annual report every year on our Annual Reports page.

Dollar4Change is our recurring giving program. Giving just $1 a day provides about one food box a month for a family.

Sign up on the POINT app and follow Murfreesboro Muslim Youth, then choose any opportunity that fits your schedule. No experience is needed.

It depends on the event. Each opportunity on POINT lists its age requirements, and many of our projects welcome families volunteering together.

Yes. Eligible volunteer service outside MMY can be logged in the POINT App and counts toward MMY volunteer rewards. Each verified hour earns one point.

Each verified volunteer hour logged in the POINT App earns one point. Volunteers who log at least 5 hours in a quarter enter the running for quarterly rewards, and the top 5 volunteers each quarter unlock a special MMY experience.

Yes. Our volunteer opportunities are recognized by many local schools for service-hour requirements and may count toward high school and college service-learning credit.

No. Our youth programs are free.

Families in need can request a free food box through the form on our home page or Food Security page. For crisis assistance, call 615-640-0502. Help is provided with dignity and discretion.

The center is available to local nonprofit partners and Dollar4Change members for events, subject to approval. Email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org to request a date.

Yes. The center has limited hours that vary with our programs, so please text or call 615-640-0502, or email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org, before coming so someone is there to welcome you.

We offer three annual sponsorship levels: Community Friend ($500), Community Partner ($1,200), and Community Champion ($2,000), each with recognition benefits. If none of these fit what you have in mind, we also welcome custom partnerships. See our Sponsor Us page for details.

It runs during the Islamic month of Ramadan, which moves about 11 days earlier each year. We share each year's schedule on our events calendar and WhatsApp community.

Yes. Everyone is welcome to join an act of service during Ramadan.

Watch our events calendar and WhatsApp community for current drives, or email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org. Businesses and congregations can also host a collection box.

Items go to children, families, and neighbors in need in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, often through partner organizations and schools.

Call 615-640-0502 or email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org. Requests must be local and verified, or referred by a partner nonprofit. Assistance is considered case by case, subject to eligibility, verification, and available funding.

No. When a request is approved, MMY pays the housing provider directly. Funds are not paid directly to applicants.

Housing assistance only. MMY is unable to help with utility bills, transportation, car repairs, or other personal expenses.

No. MMY helps families in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County regardless of faith or background.

Fill out our food box request form, or call 615-640-0502. Food boxes are free for families in need in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.

Sign up on the POINT app and look for packing and delivery opportunities. Many are family-friendly.

Families in need, local shelters, and first responders working on Thanksgiving Day.

It is currently on hold. New refugee arrivals to our area have stopped, so we have paused resettlement support and will resume when families begin arriving again.

Newcomers who need food or emergency help can still reach us at 615-640-0502 or admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org, or through our Get help page. Our team speaks more than nine languages.

We will need drivers, tutors, interpreters, and household donations. Sign up for our weekly updates to hear when refugee support restarts, and give monthly through Dollar4Change to support families in need today.

The scholarship supports students at Middle Tennessee State University. Students can view it and apply through MTSU's scholarship portal at mtsu.scholarships.ngwebsolutions.com. For questions, email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org.

Give through our Donate page and mention the scholarship, or email us about a dedicated gift.

No. The dinners are for honest questions and friendly conversation, and no background is needed.

Families, clubs, school groups, churches, and other congregations can all host a table. Email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org and we'll help you plan the dinner.

Yes. The festival is free and open to everyone.

Every October in downtown Murfreesboro. Check our events calendar and Givebutter events page for this year's date.

Community Champion sponsors receive a complimentary table. Email us about other options.

An iftar is the evening meal Muslims eat to break their fast at sunset during Ramadan.

Local nonprofit leaders, faith partners, and community volunteers. Email us before Ramadan if your organization would like to attend.

In October 2017, activists answered MMY's call to meet and formed Murfreesboro Loves to counter a planned white nationalist rally downtown with peaceful events, messages of acceptance, and a celebration of community diversity at Barfield Park.

Everyone. The initiative welcomes all people regardless of faith, culture, ethnicity, age, or background.

Join a gathering, service project, or conversation. We share dates on our events calendar, WhatsApp community, and social media.

No. We are strictly nonpartisan. We do not endorse candidates or parties and never tell anyone how to vote.

No. The group is for everyone, including new citizens, first-time voters, young people, and parents. No prior experience is needed.

Yes. We produce our materials in both English and Arabic.

At the MMY Center, 1321 Greenland Dr, Murfreesboro, TN. Join our civic WhatsApp group for announcements.

Yes. MMY youth programs are free.

Check our events calendar, join our WhatsApp community, or email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org.

Activities are open to almost all ages and to families, and each event lists who it is for.

Many are free. Some trips may have a cost, which is listed with the event.

9th to 12th grade students. Email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org to join the team or volunteer as a coach.

The Muslim Interscholastic Tournament is a national competition where students compete in knowledge, the arts, speaking, and sports.

Follow @mmyatmtsu on Instagram for meetings and events, or email admin@murfreesboromuslimyouth.org.

No. Students of every background are welcome at chapter events and service projects.

Yes. Our Children's Club is for children ages 1 to 8 and their moms, our Girls' Club and Boys' Club are for girls and boys ages 8 to 14, and our Women's Club is for moms, with its own private WhatsApp group. Boys' Club and Girls' Club run in seasons of a few months at a time; new sessions are announced through our WhatsApp community and email updates.

Start by volunteering. Most leaders begin at Level 1 and grow into co-leading and project roles.

Youth as young as 16 have led MMY programs with the full support of the team.

Families and individuals in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County who are facing food insecurity or a crisis. You do not need to be Muslim.

Yes. Food boxes and housing assistance are free to families and funded by local donors.

Fill out our online food box request form, or call 615-640-0502.

Limited, short-term housing assistance for local families experiencing financial hardship, subject to verification, eligibility, and available funding. Payments are made directly to the housing provider. MMY is unable to help with utility bills, transportation, car repairs, or other personal expenses.

Our team speaks more than nine languages. Call or email us and we will do our best to help in your language.