Ramadan Kareem from your local special needs community.
Since our founding in 2016, Dar-us-Sakina has been a beacon of hope for special needs families within the Muslim community of Houston, Texas. We inspire the community to abandon stigmas and embrace individuals with disabilities with empathy and respect. Our Mission is accomplished through three service areas: support, community awareness, and education.
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Despite our efforts, the demand for services far exceeds our current capacity. Our waitlist continues to grow, leaving countless families in need. That’s why we’re launching this campaign: to make a Day Program a reality and provide transformative opportunities for those we serve.
Why is this necessary?
Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities graduate from high school at 18, like their neurotypical peers. With advocacy, some receive transitional programming until 21, after which services end entirely.
Most adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on day habilitation programs after graduation.
Texas ranks among the lowest in adult disability services, and without federal educational standards, most day habilitation programs are understaffed and function more as adult babysitting than learning environments.
Good day habilitation programs are costly, have wait lists, and are only partially funded by Medicaid waivers that in themselves take years to become eligible for.
Dar-us-Sakina aims to establish a Day Program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities where learning is individualized and objectively measured. In addition, the program will take place in a faith-based, culturally sensitive environment.
Goals of Dar-us-Sakina’s Adult Day Program:
- To facilitate independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) of its participants
- To provide vocational skills training to participants
- To improve participants’ social skills
- To improve health and wellness of participants
- To provide participants an opportunity to practice basic Islamic etiquette within their community
- To facilitate inclusion of participants in the community
- To establish a profitable student business for its participants
- To provide respite and support to caregivers of participants
What have we done so far?
For the past three years, Dar-us-Sakina has run a weekly 2-hour pilot program (Teen & Adult Program) at Spring Branch Islamic Center, serving 25 students with a growing waitlist.
Transition Plan
Starting September 2025
Dar-us-Sakina will launch a 3-hour Adult Program, Monday through Thursday, following the school calendar. The oldest five students will transition in September 2025, followed by five more in January 2026. By September 2026, the program will expand to five hours daily, five days a week, with plans to add five students per year. This phased approach ensures quality services while recruiting and training staff.
This is not a capital campaign—it is a lifeline. We are not asking for donations to build walls. We are asking for your help to fill those walls with love, inclusivity, learning, and opportunity.
This next stage of our journey is about providing the basic necessities they need to flourish: trained staff, therapeutic activities, sensory equipment, life skills training, and the structure that every human being deserves. Without it, these children will continue to wait—trapped in a world that does not accommodate them!
This Ramadan, let your giving be their answered prayer. Every dollar ensures that these individuals are not just seen, but truly supported. Give now and be a part of something life-changing.
We can't do this without YOU!
Every dollar you contribute brings us closer to:
- Reducing the waitlist and providing immediate relief to families in need.
- Offering life-changing opportunities to individuals with disabilities.
- Building a stronger, more inclusive community.
Together, we can create a future where no one is left behind
Join us in making the Dar-us-Sakina Day Program a reality. Your generosity has the power to transform lives and build a legacy of hope, support, and inclusion.
