Nine organizations team up to provide winter essentials and meals at the Carmichael Outreach
Regina’s winters are infamous for being brutal and unkind. It can get unimaginably cold and particularly unforgiving for those who don’t have a place to call their home.
Over the last weekend, a group of Muslim students and volunteers from various local organizations came together to deliver care packages to the homeless people in Regina.
Packages of care
Abdulfatah Al-Ras, a third-year medical student at the Regina campus of the University of Saskatchewan, was the representative of the three organizations which were a part of the initiative namely the Saskatchewan Arab Society, the One Faith Foundation, and the Averroes Muslim Professionals Society.
“The event is organized every year. It first started in Saskatoon five years ago, and every year it grows bigger,” said Al-Ras.
This year, the organizations successfully put together 120 winter packages for delivery. The packages included winter essentials like clothes, socks, blankets, gloves, toques, and scarves, to help with the cold along with hygiene essentials like shampoo, combs, wet wipes, nail clippers, band-aids, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Each person also received meal packages that contained a sandwich, a mandarin, and a juice box.
A combined effort
The volunteers planned the distributions and prepared the packages on Jan. 27 at the University of Regina (U of R) and distributed them on January 31 at the Carmichael Outreach. The staff at the outreach provided a welcoming space for volunteers to hand out supplies over the course of two hours.
The initiative was a city-wide collaboration involving other major organizations in the city. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) donated resources, while Regina Town Hall provided survival guides and handouts to help the homeless find shelters and free meals throughout the year.
Fasting reminds us of the blessings that we take for granted, like the fresh food in our homes, which not everyone has access to.” – Abdulfatah Al-Ras, medical student, Regina campus, U of S.
A matter of perspective
Al-Ras explained that fasting during the month of Ramadan plays a huge role in why muslims get involved in such causes. The month requires the people within the community to go without food and water from sunrise to sunset, which they say lets them see the world differently.
“Ramadan is a month of reflection. Fasting reminds us of the blessings that we take for granted, like the fresh food in our homes, which not everyone has access to,” said Al-Ras.
Beyond the donations, the volunteers also highlighted the Islamic concept of charity as a way of bridging the gap between the giver and the receiver.
Bashar Moolla, a recent U of R graduate with a bachelor’s in philosophy, politics, and economics from represents the Islamic Relief club. He looks toward a future of more cross-cultural connections.
“I’m keen on cross-cultural collaboration. I think it would be nice to start initiatives with groups that are different from ours to showcase our shared humanity.”
For the students involved, this work is a direct reflection of their religious values. “It is mandatory to help the vulnerable in the Muslim community. Zakat [meaning charity] is one of the five pillars of Islam,” said the volunteers.
As the event wrapped up, Kindah Aljarad, the vice-president of the Saskatchewan Arab Society, hoped the experience would stay with the students long after Ramadan ends.
“I hope everyone who volunteered and helped around had the full intention of the charity, because that’s what we wanted them to take away from this event: to help people in need, never forget them, and remind them to never be ungrateful for what they have.”
