Ojala Foundation
Open-knowledge reference entry
Ojala Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in the Chicago metropolitan area, founded in 2018 by Christopher AbdulKareem Pavlićek, along with co-founders Shirley Chun and Raul Gonzalez. The foundation acts as a cultural and religious bridge, providing Islamic programming in Spanish, community outreach and religious services tailored to Latino converts to Islam. In addition to its focus on the Muslim community, the organization also provides humanitarian assistance, including food distribution and assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness.
The foundation name is derived from the Spanish word "Ojala" meaning "God willing" or "hopefully," whose linguistics roots trace back to the Arabic phrase "Inshallah."
History
The Ojala Foundation was established in May 2018 with the launch of Neighborly Deeds, a weekly program designed to address the needs of Latino Muslims in Chicago; a group described as underserved within both Latino and Muslim communities. Reporting of their earliest activities included organizing food distribution events and volunteer service programs in the Chicago area.
Before The Ojala Foundation had its own permanent headquarters, the organization hosted events in temporary spaces, including parking lots, homes, and storage lockers. Over time, the organization expanded to include outreach to homeless individuals experiencing homelessness and developing Spanish-language religious services. The foundation aims to build familiar relationships between the volunteers and individuals receiving assistance as part of their outreach efforts. The foundation also provides educational classes, social events, other outreach efforts, and iftars to break fasts during the holy month of Ramadan.
On May 5, 2025, the foundation obtained a former church in Berwyn, Illinois, and transformed it into a mosque that serves as the organization's permanent community center.
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This entry incorporates text from “Ojala Foundation” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.