The Michigan Muslim Community Council, alongside Christian, Jewish and other faith partners, distributed holiday gifts and food assistance to more than 300 Detroit-area families on Christmas Day 2025, continuing an 18-year tradition of interfaith service while honoring a beloved community champion who passed away weeks earlier. Volunteers gathered at St. Stephen Lutheran Church beginning at 9 a.m. on December 25 to coordinate both home deliveries and drive-through pickup for families struggling with rising costs and economic instability in a city where more than half of children live below the poverty line.
A Legacy of Service and “Ihsan”
The Days of Ihsan campaign, founded in 2007 by Dr. Muzammil Ahmed, chair emeritus of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, takes its name from the Arabic word for excellence in character or action. This year’s effort carried special significance as organizers dedicated the campaign to James “Jimmy” Tuman, founder of Jimmy’s Kids, who died on November 12, 2025, at age 84.
Tuman established the nonprofit Jimmy’s Kids in 1988 to serve disadvantaged and parentless children throughout Southwest Detroit, according to Model D Media. Over the decades, he brought people of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths together to support families in need, dressed as Santa Claus to hand out gifts each year, and spoke to more than 2 million young people in every state and nine foreign countries.
“He loved kids. He loved seeing the sparkle in their eyes.” — Jan Tuman, wife of James Tuman.
“It is heartwarming to see the impact of these small acts of kindness, and it reminds us what we can accomplish if we keep working together as a community,” Ahmed said in a statement published by The Arab American News.
Meeting Critical Need in a City Facing Economic Hardship
The campaign comes as Detroit families grapple with severe economic pressures, making holiday assistance programs especially vital. New U.S. Census Bureau data released in September 2024 showed that 51 percent of children in Detroit live in poverty—triple the national average and the highest rate of any major American city with a population over 500,000, WDIV reported.
Food insecurity remains a persistent crisis across Metro Detroit. A 2021 University of Michigan study found that nearly 48 percent of Detroit households were either food-insecure or at risk of becoming food-insecure, according to the Michigan Chronicle. More recent data from the Detroit Food Policy Council indicates that over two-thirds of Detroit households experience food insecurity. At the same time, nearly 40 percent rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, Planet Detroit reported.
“Many parents simply can’t afford gifts or extra groceries during the holidays,” Days of Ihsan Project Coordinator Husain Haidri told The Arab American News. “This campaign helps relieve that pressure and allows families to focus on being together.”
Volunteers Deliver Toys, Food Cards, and Community Connection
Volunteers from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and other faith communities worked side by side on Christmas Day to distribute toys for children and $25 food gift cards to recipient families. Due to an extra supply, many families received several food cards instead of just one, The Arab American News reported.
Partner organizations supporting this year’s campaign included Helping Hands, The Amity Foundation, The North Star Collective, the Islamic Circle of North America, and the National Organization of Muslim Americans in Public Service (MAPS), which joined as a sponsor for the first time in 2025.
“My team and I are proud to see our community come out on Christmas day to support our neighbors,” MAPS Michigan Chapter President Machhadie Assi said in a statement. “Public Service is woven into our faith, and caring for others’ joy is a shared value that transcends holidays and backgrounds.”
The Michigan Muslim Community Council website describes Days of Ihsan as bringing together “thousands of individuals from around Metro Detroit to perform meaningful acts of community service through December,” with more than 40 volunteer projects involving Jewish, Muslim, and other community members.
An Expanding Model of Interfaith Cooperation
The campaign represents one of several interfaith partnerships operating across Metro Detroit during the holiday season. The Detroit Free Press previously documented similar volunteer efforts, quoting Ahmed as saying, “The Days of Ihsan campaign is about promoting the best of actions, or ‘ihsan.’”
Families eligible for assistance are identified through on-the-ground community teams, partner organizations, and specific criteria designed to reach the most vulnerable households, The Arab American News reported. No one is turned away from the effort, following the philosophy established by Tuman throughout his decades of service in Southwest Detroit.
Dr. Luke Shaefer, a poverty and social welfare expert from the University of Michigan, told WDIV in October 2025 that Detroit families face mounting challenges from inflation, rising housing costs, and a weakening labor market. “People are really struggling with the cost of housing and food,” Shaefer said.
Continuing a Tradition of Service
As volunteers loaded cars, delivered gifts door-to-door, and greeted families at the St. Stephen Lutheran Church distribution center, organizers emphasized that the Days of Ihsan campaign will continue honoring Tuman’s legacy of bringing diverse faith communities together in service.