In 2013, we moved into a 1,100-square-foot warehouse, giving us the space we needed to store food and essential household items for our clients. Sabil began with a generous $20,000 donation raised during our first fundraiser, hosted in the backyard of Dr. Samar Aziz’s home. This initial fund helped us support 50 families with rent assistance and provide monthly food packages to 480 families, all packaged and distributed by our dedicated volunteers.

By 2014, Sabil had expanded its monthly food distributions and added car donations to our services. With a growing team of 150 volunteers, our operating budget increased to $250,000, allowing us to make a bigger impact each day.

In 2016, we upgraded to a larger 1,800-square-foot location in Anaheim, allowing us to be closer to the families we served. This new space gave us the capacity to support 2,500 families that year alone with an expanded supply stock and improved distribution system.

2017 marked a significant milestone for Sabil USA. In response to rising demand, we launched two crucial new programs: Domestic Violence Support and Mental Health Services. This was also the year we held our first Dignity Day event, sponsored by Islamic Relief, which provided food and household items to underserved families in Orange County.

As our services and client base continued to grow, 2018 saw us move to a 6,500-square-foot facility in Tustin. This new location provided not only a larger food pantry but also a private and safe space for our mental health services. That year, we hosted our first Health and Wellness Fair, offering health screenings and connecting community members with local pharmacists and health organizations.

The year 2020 brought unprecedented challenges, but Sabil responded swiftly. As the world went into lockdown, we knew it was vital to remain operational for the community. We adapted creatively by employing Hadeel, a widowed Iraqi refugee whose tailoring business was impacted by the pandemic. Hadeel made fabric masks, which we distributed to local healthcare offices, hospitals, dialysis centers, and other community locations. The income from this project allowed her to keep her business afloat, while we provided much-needed protective gear to the community. During this time, we also adjusted our operations: food distributions transitioned to a drive-through model, and mental health services were moved to Zoom. By the end of 2020, Sabil had served 70,000 families and provided financial support to 75,000 individuals, meeting the increasing demand created by the crises.

In 2021, we partnered with United Way to host two vaccine clinics, aiming to improve the health of our community. As we worked toward recovery, Sabil played a key role in assisting Afghan refugees during the Afghan Resettlement Crisis. That year, we supported 75 Afghan families, providing them with rental assistance, food, furniture, clothing, appliances, electronics, and essentials like diapers and baby formula.

In 2023, we began the year with the addition of a licensed clinical social worker to our mental health team. We also purchased our permanent home—a 6,200-square-foot building in Santa Ana. This new space has allowed us to expand both our office and warehouse facilities, enabling us to meet the needs of the over 25,000 clients we serve annually.