Ab-Raheem Muhammad’s life was tragically cut short at age 24 on August 24, 2006. A young man navigating mental health challenges, substance use, and housing instability, Raheem never had the chance to realize his dream of launching a children’s shoe brand or building the life he envisioned. He loved kids, dreamed big, and deserved more time.
His loss became a catalyst.
In 2014, his sister, Iffat Walker, transformed her grief into action by founding Community Action NOW! (CAN)—a nonprofit committed to dismantling the systemic roots of poverty and empowering communities too often left behind.
Today, CAN’s mission is more urgent than ever. We understand that poverty doesn’t exist in isolation—it is a web of systemic injustice: limited access to healthcare and mental health services, unsafe housing, trauma from environmental disasters, racialized policing, and economic exclusion. These conditions don’t just hold people back—they shorten lives.
Through trauma-informed recovery programs, youth leadership initiatives, disaster preparedness, civic engagement, and environmental justice, we are building real pathways to healing, opportunity, and long-term self-sufficiency.
Our work is powered by the belief that every son and daughter deserves the chance to thrive—far beyond the age of 24.
We do this work in Raheem’s name, and in the name of everyone who’s been denied the future they deserved. Join us in building that future.