The Mecca Center

What The Mecca Center does

The Mecca Center, operating under the legal name Muslim Educational & Cultural Center of America, is a non-profit Islamic community center (masjid) headquartered at 16W560 91st Street in Willowbrook, Illinois. It serves thousands of Muslim families across the Chicagoland area, providing daily prayer services (five daily prayers plus two Jumuah services), Quran education through the Mecca Quran Institute across age groups from elementary to adult, a Sunday School program, and youth development through Mecca MVMT. Supporting programs include convert support services (mentorship, Shahadah bags, New Muslim Handbook, Annual Converts' Conference), a community garden partnership, Mecca Meals charitable food service, Mecca Moves wellness programming, facility rentals, and an annual Umrah pilgrimage program.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with recurring events (Annual Fundraising Dinner, Converts' Conference, Mecca Moves 5K, community nights, educational series) serving as primary acquisition and retention mechanisms alongside word-of-mouth within the Chicagoland Muslim community. Digital channels include a website, e-newsletter, dedicated mobile app on iOS and Android, and active social media presence. The center has built strategic partnerships with MUHSEN (special needs), Madina Community (community garden), Hinsdale Community Services (food pantry), DuPagePads (Mecca Meals), and interfaith collaborators including First Church of Lombard and Rock Valley College.

Revenue is generated through a diversified set of streams: donations and charitable contributions (Zakah, Sadaqah), membership fees including fitness room access, facility rentals (banquet hall for weddings and events), annual Umrah trip packages priced at $3,450-$3,690 per person with installment plans, fee-based programs (summer camps $125-$300, chess classes $40, Converts' Conference $15-$25), and ticketed special events. Governance is provided by an elected Board of Trustees with terms of three years, supported by a Resident Scholar, Imam and Religious Director, Youth Director, and program instructors. The organization posted an Executive Director job opening in April 2026, signaling an organizational restructuring to scale executive leadership capacity.

Name

The Mecca Center

Legal name

Muslim Educational & Cultural Center of America

Website

https://meccacenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Mecca Center is a non-profit Islamic community center in Willowbrook, Illinois serving thousands of Chicagoland Muslim families with worship services, Quran education, youth development, convert support, and community outreach programs funded by donations, membership fees, events, and Umrah travel packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Hajj & Umrah Travel Agencies (THAKAHAA), Religious & Pilgrimage Retail Travel Agencies (THAKABAL)

Keywords

• Islamic community center
• Quran education programs
• Religious worship services
• Youth development programs
• Convert support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Willowbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The primary revenue source is donations from community members, including Zakah, Sadaqah, and general contributions. The center operates a donation portal where supporters can direct funds to specific causes such as Mecca Meals, general operations, or specific programs.
2. Membership Fees: The center offers membership programs including facility access and fitness room memberships, generating recurring revenue from community members.
3. Facility Rentals: The banquet hall and other facilities are available for rental for events such as weddings, community gatherings, and celebrations.
4. Religious Travel Services (Umrah): The center organizes annual Umrah trips to Mecca and Madinah, charging per-person fees for group travel packages that include transportation, accommodation, visa processing, and guided spiritual sessions.
5. Educational Programs and Camps: Revenue is generated from youth summer camps, chess classes, and Quran institute programs through registration fees.
6. Special Events and Conferences: The center charges registration fees for conferences such as the Annual Converts' Conference, as well as ticketed events like the Annual Fundraising Dinner.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Mecca Center operates as a non-profit Islamic community center (masjid) providing daily worship services (five daily prayers and Jumuah), structured Quran education across all age groups through the Mecca Quran Institute, Sunday School religious education for children, youth development programs (Mecca MVMT), and convert support services for new Muslims. Supporting offerings include facility rentals (banquet hall), an Umrah travel program, community wellness events (Mecca Moves 5K), community service initiatives (Mecca Meals, Community Garden), and a fitness room.

Product overview

The Mecca Center is a comprehensive Muslim Educational & Cultural Center of America (Islamic center/masjid) offering a unified platform of religious, educational, and community services. The core offering centers on worship facilitation (daily prayers, Jumuah services) and Islamic education through the Mecca Quran Institute and Sunday School. Supporting programs include Youth MVMT for youth development, Convert Support for new Muslims, Community Garden for outreach, Mecca Meals for community service, Mecca Moves for wellness, facility rentals, and a mobile app. The center serves the Chicagoland Muslim community across all life stages from children to seniors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mecca Quran Institute (MQI): Educational institute offering Quran reading, memorization, and Islamic studies programs for children and adults of all levels.
• The Mecca MVMT
• Mecca Moves
• Mecca Meals
• Convert Engagement Committee

Products and services

• Worship Services (Daily Prayers and Jumuah)

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 60 students with ijazah certification in Hadith memorization
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DuPagePads Interim Housing CentercoreOthers · 1 January 2026The Mecca Meals program serves hot dinners monthly to residents of the DuPagePads Interim Housing Center in Downers Grove, providing food, warmth, dignity, and community connection to homeless individuals and families.
• Madina CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Local nonprofit organization collaborating with The Mecca Center on the Community Garden initiative. The partnership fosters unity and compassion by bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds to cultivate fresh produce for local families in need.
• Hinsdale Community Services (HCS)coreOthersThe community garden's produce is donated to HCS food pantry at Anne M. Jeans Elementary School in Willowbrook. Weekly deliveries of approximately 800 pounds of fresh produce support local families facing food insecurity.
• First Church of LombardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on interfaith programs including the interfaith book club reading 'Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books' by Kirsten Miller, building understanding across faiths through shared literary discussions.
• Rock Valley CollegeminorOthersHosted 120 students from Rock Valley College for interfaith engagement, building bridges through educational community interactions.
• Bridgeview Businesses (Al-Hamawi Roastery, Ottomani Gifts, Athwab)minorOthersLocal businesses in Bridgeview that donated gifts for New Muslim brothers and sisters during the Annual Shahadah Celebration, supporting the convert community.
• MUHSEN (Muslims Understanding and Supporting Special Needs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mecca Center is committed to supporting and partnering with MUHSEN in their efforts to help families with Special Needs, making the center more inclusive.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC): Texas-based Islamic center offering daily prayers, weekend Islamic school, youth MVMT-style programs, and family services, comparable in its community-led, multi-generational programming approach.
• Islamic Center of America: Largest Shia mosque in North America (Dearborn, MI), operating as a comprehensive religious, educational, and cultural center with youth, family, and community programs analogous to The Mecca Center's full-service model.
• Mosque Foundation: Largest and oldest Islamic center in Chicagoland (Bridgeview, IL), offering full-stack services including K-12 school, youth programs, sports, social services, and religious programming, the closest direct competitor to The Mecca Center's community-center model.
• ADAMS Center (All Dulles Area Muslim Society): Northern Virginia Islamic center offering worship, full-time K-12 school, youth programming, sports leagues, and community services, a structurally similar comprehensive community-center model to The Mecca Center.
• Downtown Islamic Center of Chicago (DICC): Chicago-area masjid serving Muslim families with daily prayers, youth programs, and educational services, directly competing for Chicagoland congregants within driving distance of The Mecca Center's Willowbrook facility.
• Islamic Foundation of Villa Park: Suburban Chicago masjid offering full-time Islamic school, weekend school, youth programming, and community services, comparable to The Mecca Center in serving Muslim families across the western Chicago suburbs.

Broad incumbents

• Islamic Society of North America (ISNA): Largest umbrella Islamic organization in North America, providing national programming, conventions, and resources that overlap with The Mecca Center's educational and community services at a much larger scale.
• ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America): National Islamic grassroots organization with local chapters running masjids, youth programs, educational initiatives, and social services, sharing mission overlap with The Mecca Center at a federated national level.

Others

• Islamic Relief USA: U.S.-based Islamic humanitarian and development nonprofit running community programs, disaster relief, and donor engagement, overlapping thematically with The Mecca Center's Mecca Meals, Community Garden, and social-services partnerships.

Regional players

• Muslim Community Center (MCC) East Bay: San Francisco Bay Area Islamic community center running a K-12 school, youth programs, family services, and interfaith outreach, structurally analogous to The Mecca Center but operating on the West Coast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheMeccaCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/themeccacenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mecca-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mecca Center