About Us
IDO is a statewide and federally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to improving access to health, food, and maternal and family support essentials. Our work focuses on meeting people where they are—ensuring individuals and families can reliably access the resources they need during critical moments.
Through initiatives such as TABLE and NEST, IDO provides direct support through mobile distribution and community-based delivery. These programs help ensure families have access to food, essential supplies, and care during times of transition, with a focus on consistency, accessibility, and dignity.
Our experience working across Massachusetts, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and now Illinois has shaped how we approach this work. We have seen how gaps in services and coordination can leave families without support. In response, we build practical, community-based programs that respond to local needs while strengthening connections to existing resources.
IDO is committed to going beyond temporary solutions. We work to ensure that support is reliable and accessible, so that care and stability are not left to chance, but are available to every family who needs them.
Why Choose IDO?
At IDO, our work is defined by:
- Last-Mile Execution: We design and test mechanisms that ensure public programs and community resources reach people reliably during critical transitions, including postpartum period
- System Durability: Our models are built to be institutionalized, emphasizing repeatable workflows, defined responsibility, and long-term adoption rather than one-time interventions
- Evidence-Driven Design: Prioritize measurable system performance, tracking whether transitions succeed, gaps close, and outcomes improve, not just whether services were offered
- Collaboration: Partnering with public agencies and community organizations to align incentives and strengthen accountability
- Operational Transparency: Full accountability in resource allocation, operations, and resonance
In most US states, lower-income residents pay a higher share of their income in taxes than top earners.
Despite paying lower tax rates, affluent neighborhoods often receive more community resources and investment, as poor neighborhoods are often more profitable for cities in terms of tax revenue vs service costs.
White families have six times the average wealth of Black and Hispanic families.
Public investments favor affluent communities, providing more resources and economic opportunities that become strong predictors of life outcomes.
This creates a self-reinforcing cycle of disadvantages for low-income communities and POC.
Leadership & Board
Leadership
Dr. Abdul Karim Baram, PhD
Founder & Executive Director
Board of Directors
Hoda Dehneh
Board Member
Dr. Mujahida Baram, MD, PhD
Board Member
Abdalla Ghaly
Board Member