Canadians encouraged to give to a food bank this Ramadan
Canadians are being encouraged through the Give30 Campaign to make a donation to food banks during Ramadan which begins on Saturday, April 2.
“Everyone can participate in the spirit of Ramadan,” said Ziyaad Mia, founder of Give30. “Hunger knows no race, religion, ethnicity or creed.”
Give 30 is simple: everyone, regardless of faith, gives to the Give 30 Campaign Partner Organizations during Ramadan.
Give30's founding principle is that if we can give up something, for instance a Starbucks coffee for a month, the money we save can go toward feeding those in need.
Ramadan is a time of year when people voluntarily go without food and drink in daylight hours to build empathy with those in need, and hopefully ease some of their burdens. That means no coffee, no lunch and no snacks for a month.
The Give 30 campaign now supports 19 major food banks and anti-poverty organizations in Canada, the US, and Australia.
Food banks across Canada have experienced a rise in demand due to COVID-19 and this year is no exception.
Give30 in the Waterloo Region is asking residents for donations and non-perishable food items for the Food Bank of Waterloo Region and Cambridge Food bank.
Give30 in the Waterloo Region has raised close to $50,000 for local food banks since its launch five years ago.
“We do this during Ramadan because it is a month of compassion, kindness, generosity, and giving,” said Uzma Bhutto, program coordinator, Women Building Women at the Coalition of Muslim Women in the city. "But food insecurity can plague anyone and throughout the year, so we want people of all faiths and backgrounds to join in the fight against food insecurity.”
In Kingston, the Give 30 team is asking residents to think of those struggling with hunger as the 2022 campaign approaches.
“Living through the challenges of the pandemic, more than ever, has emphasized that there are those who are struggling in our neighbourhoods,” Mona Rahman, co-chair of Give 30 Team Kingston, told Kingstonist News.
“Hunger is not an ‘over there’ problem; it’s a problem everywhere, even in Kingston.”