Sara Jamshidi
11/23/2022 2:25 PM

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, one saw countless promotions on T.V., online, radio, and
billboards about ‘how to properly wash hands,’ or never touching anything with ‘unwashed hands.’ But
consider a low-income family who had to choose between heat, rent, food, and hygiene, could they still
choose easily between bread and soap?

“Hygiene poverty is a serious matter among low-income families,” Says Nickhath (Nicky) Sherriff, CEO
and Founder of MAPS-MCRC. “If a family has to choose between essentials, they are forced to leave
hygiene matters at the bottom of their list.”

Sherrif has been serving people in deed for more than 30 years now. She was involved with the
International Red Cross while she was a student in India. She continued volunteering when she came to
Seattle. In early 2000s, Sherrif established Muslim Community Resource Center, or MCRC. “I just
realized that we do not have a Muslim service center to help refugees from Somalia, Iraq, Syria,
Afghanistan and other countries in a socially and culturally appropriate manner” she says.

About seven years ago, Muslim Association of Puget Sound, MAPS, invited MCRC to join forces to help
people in need. MAPS-MCRC was born in 2015.

“We provide more than 15 services to the community at MAPS-MCRC,” Sherrif says. “But, I realized that
there are two services we do not provide.”

Sherrif led the effort to establish Essential First, previously known as Kits for Peace, with the mission to
provide hygiene essentials and warm items for people who live in shelters, new-arrival refugees, the
inadequately housed, those living in their cars, and others in need.

Essentials First has an office in Bellevue and another location at Together Center, a human services hub
with various programs to connect people with resources.

“Together Center made smiles better by helping people to find assistance where they needed it,” says
Kim Sarnecki, CEO of Together Center at the MAPS-MCRC Thanksgiving Dinner Party. “Together, we
focus on the whole person, and whole family’s health, wealth, and well-being. Our human service hub
lowers barriers to access so people can find help in one place,” Sarnecki said during speech at the
dinner.

Relentlessly working to manage a seamless party on Tuesday night, only two nights away from
November 24, Nickhath Sherrif greeted every female guest with a warm hug and a welcoming smile to
male guests. On every table was a 6-maple-leaf tray in orange and red. On each leaf was a picture,
colored by local school kids, showing thanks and gratitude for the season. Every single guest was also
welcomed with a cupcake, a small bottle of apple cider, a bottle of water, a candle in a small box
patterned by the Mediterranean design, and a blanket provided by Essential First, at every seat. Guests
had the option to take the blankets home or donate them to the homeless population.

“I took my Shahada at the very same space,” Sennie Rose, in a warm brown hijab, drove all the way from
Lynwood, and took a seat at one of the last tables in the corner. “I’m planning to walk the Mukilteo
Turkey Trot 5 K on Thanksgiving Day, and then I may go to my family’s house afterward,” she said.
Two sets of tables, paralleled by the walls at the end of two sides of the ballroom to serve Turkey.
Guests started with a generous portion of Turkey, followed by large spoons of vegetables, mash potato,
gravy, salad, corn bread pieces, and fruits.

“I started coming over for MCRC Thanksgiving party for three years now,” said Erv Desmet who
attended the dinner with more than six of his friends from Rotary Club at Woodinville. “I thought I was
inclusive until I came here. I had my own preconceived notion about headscarves, or other prejudices.
But after coming here, I learned that we are not different [from Muslims].”

The program for the night started with a speech by Mohammad Vakil, MAPS’s new president,
addressing more than 400 audience members at the MAPS main hall.

After that, Nickhath Sheriff, along with her husband Khizer, took the stage to tell a story about
Samantha, a woman in desperate need of help. “I listened to her very patiently,” Nickhath Sheriff said. “I
could not keep her calm. It was tough for her and for me. When she was finally a little calm, I told her
not to worry. … I will help you. you can trust me.”

Khizer Sheriff, followed up to describe MAPS-MCRC’s impact in the last year and to show how MAPS-
MCRC and Essentials First helped thousands of people like Samantha others get the help they needed.
City of Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, along with King County Councilmember Sarah Perry and
Sammamish Councilmember Rituja Indapure were among the guests at the dinner party.

“We prepared more than 50 hygiene kits at Costco and sent them to Essentials First,” Councilmember
Rituja said. “We first asked Nickhath of what she might need in the kit, and we provided it. Hygiene
security for low-income families must be taken more seriously,” Indapure said.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Catherine Cushinberry CEO of Hopelink, spoke about the power and
importance of partnerships and collaboration between among agencies. In her speech, Cushinberry
depicted a powerful image of a family in need who relies on such partnerships.

She was presented By Tisza Rutherford, City of Redmond’s Homeless Outreach Administrator who spoke
about how MCRC, Essentials First and the agencies at the Together Center work together. Miranda
Wilson, Board Member of Essentials First spoke about the daily stories of hygiene poverty that she sees
in her work at the Helping Hands Food bank. Kim Sarnecki, CEO of the Together Center in Redmond
spoke about the mission of the Center and the affordable housing units that will be part of the new
center.

The dinner ended with the blessings and the serenity pray by Shaykh Adam. “Allah, grant us the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to
know the differences.”