Halifax Muslims rally to help hungry

Halifax-area Muslims are sending out more than $15,000 in donations to help their less fortunate fellow citizens after raising funds and food aid during the holy month of Ramadan.

The third annual Share the Spirit of Ramadan food drive collected donations June 18 at Mic Mac Mall before packaging and shipping them out Saturday from Feed Nova Scotia’s warehouse on the Bedford Highway.

“In the spirit of Ramadan, the month of sharing and giving back, we feel it’s important to be giving out to the community because we are one community,” said organizer Asile El-Darahali.

Donations this year are going to a number of local organizations and charities including Feed Nova Scotia, Shelter Nova Scotia, Adsum House and Bayers Westwood family resource centre, among others.

“It’s definitely gotten bigger in terms of the amount of donations that we’ve been getting, so it’s exciting to have more people get involved,” said El-Darahali.

One volunteer getting involved this year is Nadira AlNasleh, who helped out by packing up aid parcels and moving them using a trolley at the warehouse.

“It makes me feel so proud to see how our community is giving back,” said Al-Nasleh, adding that she hoped it would give Haligonians a more positive image of Islam.