Running From Tripoli To Beirut To Feed The Hungry

Introduction:

Hello everyone, my name is Monif Habib! I'm a 22-year-old, second-generation Lebanese-American living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For as long as I can remember, I've heard snippets of Lebanon through the stories of my mother and father. I've always longed to visit the country because of how much love I've had from learning about it over the years. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit my family in Lebanon and get a first-hand experience of what it was really like. Very quickly I realized just how much suffering and struggles that Lebanese families endure on a daily basis.

Importance:

Lebanon was already in the grips of a profound financial crisis and reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic when the deadly blasts hit the port of Beirut two years ago. There is no consistent electricity, most poor go hungry and joblessness is at record levels. With its currency nearly worthless, most keep their savings in U.S. dollars which are still hard to retrieve from banks. Millions of Lebanese have since seen their living conditions continually deteriorate. A recent study conducted by the United Nations World Food Programme showed that over 46% of Lebanon's population is hungry. This is roughly about three million people.

Video: Describing more about what's going on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM0KTCZCPIQ&ab_channel=AlJazeeraEnglish

Mission:

With this all being said, I felt within myself a longing to help the people of my country. In May of this year (date to be determined), I will be running from Tripoli to Beirut (85 km) in one day to raise money for all of the hungry families in Lebanon. I've decided to partner with a trusted NGO named the Lebanese Food bank. This non-profit is both trusted and transparent, ensuring that all donations are being given to those who need them. The main focus of LFB is to feed those in need in Lebanon, without discrimination on the basis of religion, political affiliation, geographic location, sexual orientation, race, or nationality.

More information about the Lebanese Food Bank can be found here: https://lebanesefoodbank.org/home/

This is something that I'm super passionate about and really can't wait to complete. I will be providing more updates here once they become set in stone. I appreciate all of you for taking the time to read thus far. It means the world to me. <3 شكرا جزيلا