Noora Khalil 21, is a vibrant and outspoken young woman at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Having the desire to make a difference she started an organization called Charit-A-Bull . It is an on campus homeless and community outreach. Being that it is its first semester up and running, Khalil states what its mission may look like in the coming semesters “It can be helping out kids at All [Children’s] hospital, helping families out that don’t really have what they need to get by [or] feeding the homeless.”
Khalil recently changed her major to Marketing and believes this campus is the right place for her to reach her career goal of getting involved with a non-profit organization. It is her heart for giving that allowed her to recognize those around her in need. “The more I kept going the more I realized this is a really big issue.” It turned out that some of the very students in her high school couldn’t take care of their hygiene or didn’t have a place to stay at night.
The early years of her efforts to start an organization were not received well. But it was those constant reminders of students in need that fueled her mission. “People I knew [that] were vets, who served our country, were homeless, and I said to myself, ‘you know what? Its time, I don’t know how I am going to do it? But I am going to do it.’”
Now attending school in a community that is close to a poverty stricken area and being a part of a student body that she identifies as “creative and innovative”, Khalil believes this is the place and time where she could really get the ball rolling. “I figured part of being a bull is understanding that we can make a difference. Our school’s reputation is so high and it is up to us to uphold to that.”
She hopes as she continues to get the word out about her mission other students will contribute. Whether it be giving a suggestion or simply a small donation. “Individually we are just a teardrop but together we are an ocean. So if we come together and put our ideas together and brainstorm we can do lots of things”
Having a deep seated will to help those less fortunate also stems from her practicing faith as a Muslim. “Islam is really all about peace, contrary to what people may hear. Charity is one of the main pillars that would define a person as a Muslim.” Khalil states that as she gets older she sees why it is so important and shares a quote that she tries to live by. “When God blesses you financially, don’t raise your standard of living raise your standard of giving.” It is this life practice that makes it easy to perceive that the campus will see big moves from Khalil in the near future. The Charit-A-Bull club meetings are anticipated to meet on Thursdays at 4pm. The location is not yet finalized. For more information contact Noora Khalil: nkhalil1@mail.usf.edu