BROOKLYN, New York - The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) plan to give out free school bags and school supplies to the Sheepshead Bay community this coming Sunday, September 5th 2010 at the MAS Sheepshead Bay Center during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This initiative hopes to cater to the needs of low-income families in the community- families under financial pressure, those who have lost jobs, and those finding difficulty in buying school supplies for their children.
A total of 300 school bags containing notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, rulers, crayons and more will be distributed. Hundreds of families are expected to attend this Sunday’s event. Last Sunday, a similar event held at MAS’ Youth Center in Bensonhurst, attracted many, with crowds lining up on Bath Avenue.
This Brooklyn event is part of a larger scale project this month, which include giveaways being hosted by ICNA in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Westchester and Long Island. It also falls within MAS’ MAS Youth Give initiative, which includes nursing home visits, canned food drives, a City Meals on Wheels event, and weekly visits to soup kitchens in Manhattan by Muslim youth volunteers.
Besides abstaining from food and drink during daytime hours, the month of Ramadan gives special importance to increasing in charitable acts, in hopes that a month of increased kindness and piety will carry on into the rest of the year. Fasting in Ramadan also develops compassion for those who are poor and needy, thereby inspiring the act of giving. Through the “Back to School Giveaway”, ICNA and MAS hope to both help struggling families provide for their children and inspire the American Muslim community to partake in these commendable acts.
What: Back to School Giveaway
Who: Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) & Muslim American Society (MAS)
When: Sunday, September 5, 2010 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Where: MAS Sheepshead Bay Center, 2812 Voorhies Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11235
For more information, contact:
Lana Safah- Spokesperson, Muslim American Society of New York
E-mail: LanaSafah@gmail.com
Phone: (917) 669-1360
Omar Ranginwala- Outreach Director, Islamic Circle of North America- NY
E-mail: pr@icnany.org
Office: 646-820-ICNA (4262)
