Prayer, Praise, and Parking
Tax deductible
PRAYER, PRAISE, AND PARKING
Building the strength and unity of our larger community is more important than ever. Today, we have a chance to come together as people of faith, to embrace an opportunity to deepen our relationships as neighbors.
Hadley is soon to be home to a new mosque, the first in the Five College area. It is located right on Rt. 9, near University Drive, easily accessed by PVTA. First established as a nonprofit organization in 2004, Hampshire Mosque serves our area colleges, Hampshire and Franklin Counties, and surrounding communities. The members of Hampshire Mosque have been meeting in rented spaces and have worked hard over the last two years to purchase their own property and build a permanent place of worship.
The Hampshire Mosque community describes themselves as committed to practicing a comprehensive, balanced view of Islam that embodies the “middle path” to which the Qur’an calls — a path of healthy community, harmony and understanding between Muslims, people of other faiths, and American society at large.
The vision for Hampshire Mosque’s beautiful new home is nearly realized, but a major hurdle remains: paving the extensive 22,000+ sq. ft. parking lot. It was in bad shape from the previous owner’s deferred maintenance, made worse by renovations related to the building’s water and sewer systems, and essentially needs to be completely redone. After reviewing bids from four different companies, and weighing various cost-saving measures, the actual cost has shaped up to be about $85,000.
Committed to the religious principle of not engaging in interest-bearing loans, the entire purchase and renovation of the property has been paid for with cash over the last two years. Hampshire Mosque has managed to raise approximately $40,000 for the parking lot renovation so far, but before the Town of Hadley will issue a Certificate of Occupancy allowing Hampshire Mosque to open its doors to the community, the parking lot needs to be brought up to code.
Many of us in the Interfaith Community would like to help them with this last financial hurdle, so that they might be able to finally worship in their beautiful new mosque, which includes a social hall, kitchen pantry with service window, study and library, as well as two retail store fronts which are available for rent to local businesses.
Thanks to all the kind and generous donations that have already been made in the the past two months, we are now seeking to raise an additional $16,000 above the $9,000 that have already been donated on GoFundMe. Otherwise, because of weather restrictions, the job cannot be done until April or May (or until there is enough money). Can you help? Whatever contribution you are able to make would be greatly appreciated!
All donations are tax-deductible and will go directly to the parking lot project. Visit hampshiremosque.org to read more about the project and explore their newly renovated worship space.
Questions? Please contact:
The Rev. Cynthia A. Frado
Fundraiser Organizer
UU Society of Amherst, MA
Caring neighbors create healthy and strong communities.
Thank you for your kind generosity!
Building the strength and unity of our larger community is more important than ever. Today, we have a chance to come together as people of faith, to embrace an opportunity to deepen our relationships as neighbors.
Hadley is soon to be home to a new mosque, the first in the Five College area. It is located right on Rt. 9, near University Drive, easily accessed by PVTA. First established as a nonprofit organization in 2004, Hampshire Mosque serves our area colleges, Hampshire and Franklin Counties, and surrounding communities. The members of Hampshire Mosque have been meeting in rented spaces and have worked hard over the last two years to purchase their own property and build a permanent place of worship.
The Hampshire Mosque community describes themselves as committed to practicing a comprehensive, balanced view of Islam that embodies the “middle path” to which the Qur’an calls — a path of healthy community, harmony and understanding between Muslims, people of other faiths, and American society at large.
The vision for Hampshire Mosque’s beautiful new home is nearly realized, but a major hurdle remains: paving the extensive 22,000+ sq. ft. parking lot. It was in bad shape from the previous owner’s deferred maintenance, made worse by renovations related to the building’s water and sewer systems, and essentially needs to be completely redone. After reviewing bids from four different companies, and weighing various cost-saving measures, the actual cost has shaped up to be about $85,000.
Committed to the religious principle of not engaging in interest-bearing loans, the entire purchase and renovation of the property has been paid for with cash over the last two years. Hampshire Mosque has managed to raise approximately $40,000 for the parking lot renovation so far, but before the Town of Hadley will issue a Certificate of Occupancy allowing Hampshire Mosque to open its doors to the community, the parking lot needs to be brought up to code.
Many of us in the Interfaith Community would like to help them with this last financial hurdle, so that they might be able to finally worship in their beautiful new mosque, which includes a social hall, kitchen pantry with service window, study and library, as well as two retail store fronts which are available for rent to local businesses.
Thanks to all the kind and generous donations that have already been made in the the past two months, we are now seeking to raise an additional $16,000 above the $9,000 that have already been donated on GoFundMe. Otherwise, because of weather restrictions, the job cannot be done until April or May (or until there is enough money). Can you help? Whatever contribution you are able to make would be greatly appreciated!
All donations are tax-deductible and will go directly to the parking lot project. Visit hampshiremosque.org to read more about the project and explore their newly renovated worship space.
Questions? Please contact:
The Rev. Cynthia A. Frado
Fundraiser Organizer
UU Society of Amherst, MA
Caring neighbors create healthy and strong communities.
Thank you for your kind generosity!
Organizer
Cynthia Frado
Organizer
Amherst, MA
Hampshire Mosque Inc (Hampshire Mosque)
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
