Local Muslims raise funds to provide ‘Iftaar Baskets’ to families in GTA

(August 20, 2010) – Toronto’s Muslims are being asked to help local families in need during Ramadan by sponsoring ‘Iftaar Baskets’ through the Project Ramadan initiative.

Together with Muslim Welfare Centre, ‘Project Ramadan’ aims to provide enough basic ingredients to last a month to over 1000 families for $60 a basket.

“Many families find their wallets and time stretched thin already,” says Junaid Usmani, one of the volunteers behind the project.

“When you add to that the rigors of fasting and focusing on prayer, it makes it difficult to make ends meet,” adds Usmani.

Project Ramadan is a grassroots initiative started in 2009 by Muslim youth in Toronto as a way to give back to their communities.

By raising funds and then pooling purchasing power and harnessing goodwill, Project Ramadan is preparing laundry baskets of basic ingredients such as flour, rice, sugar, dates, and more.

The baskets were originally meant to focus only on food items, but contributions and sponsorships have allowed the organizers to include children’s books and other personal affects for the families.

Partnering with Muslim Welfare Centre, an established and well-respected organization in the community that operates, among other things, food banks, has allowed Project Ramadan to access the families that need the baskets the most.

Last year, Project Ramadan, raised over $50,000 in cash and sponsorships feeding over 550 families.

This year, the Project hopes to have a similar level of support across the Greater Toronto Area.

For more information on Project Ramadan, to sponsor a basket or to get involved, please visit www.moveyourcommunity.com or call 1-877-649-0940.