Who is Muhammed?

San Francisco, CA

After Muhammed arrived from India, he worked in a liquor store, a carwash, and a 99-cent store. He also worked with a plumber; sometimes he was paid and sometimes not. Since his marriage ended, he has lived in a mosque or a friend's garage, or a homeless shelter.

Miracle Money Goals 2021

1. Find permanent housing

2. Achieve citizenship

3. Address health issues and pay monthly fees

In Muhammed’s Words

"Before this program, I felt hopeless. Now, talking to you, I have hope.”

More about Muhammed

Chatting at a bus stop while staying in a Shelter-in-Place hotel in San Francisco, Muhammed learned about the Miracle Friends program and was paired with a volunteer for weekly phone conversations. Not only is his Friend fluent in his first language, Urdu, but she also nominated him for the Miracle Money program because he’s “respectful, polite, mindful of others, and has specific goals.” 

Muhammed’s Miracle Money Experience

In Muhammed’s home country of India, some close relatives have survived the pandemic and some have not. Here in San Francisco, he says the support of Miracle Money has helped him worry less because now he can pay for food, kitchen essentials, and storage (his biggest expenses). He knows he will be moving soon, but overall, he has a simple life and it is good.

In the early months of the program, Muhammed was able to buy much-needed dishes and utensils. He also replaced his broken blender with a new-used blender; this is crucial because, due to health problems, he must soften his food (even meat and bread) to make it edible.

As the program went on, in addition to paying his storage fees, Muhammed also bought a spice grinder so he can make his beloved garam masala. Despite his hardships, he has been keeping the fast for the month of Ramadan. During this pause of his normal activities, he continues to be grateful for the Miracle Money he has received.

One of the things he missed the most was what some might consider the simple things, such as being able to buy a pair of dress pants and a dress shirt, going to a barbershop for a haircut, or having a restaurant meal of his beloved native Indian food and his favorite dish of chicken biryani.

With Miracle Money, Muhammed has been grateful to experience those things again in addition to home essentials and much-needed help with his storage fees.