2017 Eid Gift Bag Drive

Assalamualaikum and Peace Be Upon You,

My name is Zoha Mian from Louisville, KY and this year for Eid, my team and I will be constructing a toy drive in the Louisville area. We are a group of dedicated college students who work dilligently with the Louisville community and represent Muslims in our compassionate city. 

For those who do not know, Eid-Al-Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. It is a day filled of happiness and joy and giving presents on the day of Eid is a highy anticipated event by children alike. Louisville has many, many Muslims, who contribute to society as physicians, teachers and volunteers. Louisville also has many refugee families, who have had to escape their home countries. For many of them, this is the first Eid they will be celebrating outside of their homeland. Most of the refugees in Louisville are from Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia. Unfortunatley, many families do not have the financial means by which they can buy presents for their children and we take it upon ourselves to put a smile on a child's face on Eid, especially those living in our city. 

For anyone that is interested in helping, we are looking for monetary donations to help assemble the toy bags. Last year we were able to raise over $2,400 alhamdulillah and provided gifts for over 40 families and 100 children (see pictures above). We hope to surpass our goal of $3000 this year. With the money raised, my team and I will purchase books, toys and gift bags. We have a list of refugees, provided by our local Islamic center, and using that list, we will organize and deliver the gifts closer to Eid. 

All we ask of is a small donation (any amount will suffice) that will go towards buying gifts for children. All donations will kindly be accepted until the middle of Ramadan and then we will start buying the gifts. May Allah bless all of you for all of your efforts! 

Members from both all the local mosques, the Islamic Center of Louisville on Westport Road and the Louisiville Islamic Center on River Road, are collaborating for this project. The list of the needy muslims is being provided by members of the Islamic Center of Louisville. The mosques have been working with needy muslims and refugees for a number of years now. Local families part of the mosques have been partnered with Kentucky Refugee Ministires in helping bring in refugees. These families have been working with these families for many years and have developed a close relationship with them. Zoha Mian, a student at the Univeristy of Cincinnati, and Eiman Zuberi, a student at the University of Louisville, both memebrs of the mosques and from Louisville, are organizing this project. The funds will will be used at local Target and Walmart stores to buy toys for each child based on age group and gender. Volunteers will then organize, package, and deliver all the presents to the families the weekend before Eid.

Jazakum Allah Khayran and Thank You!

"Whoever helps his brother in his time of need, Allah will be there in his time of need" ~ Prophet Muhammad PBAH