MAS and ICNA plans to give away school bags and school supplies in Bensonhurst during the holy month of Ramadan

BROOKLYN, New York (August 25, 2010) - The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) plan to give out free school bags and school supplies to the Bensonhurst community this coming Sunday, August 29th 2010 at the MAS Youth Center, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This initiative hopes to cater to the needs of low income families in the community- families under financial pressure, many having lost jobs and finding difficulty in buying school supplies for their children.

A total of 500 school bags containing notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, rulers, crayons and more will be distributed. Hundreds of families are expected to attend this Sunday’s event. Last year, a similar event held at MAS’ Andalusia School in Yonkers N.Y., attracted many, with crowds filling the gymnasium.

This Brooklyn event is part of a larger scale project this month, which include giveaways also being hosted by ICNA in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island. It also falls within MAS’ MAS Youth Give initiative, which includes nursing home visits, canned food drives, a City Meals on Wheels event, and weekly visits to soup kitchens in Manhattan by Muslim youth volunteers.

Besides abstaining from food and drink during daytime hours, the month of Ramadan gives special importance to increasing in charitable acts, in hopes that a month of increased kindness and piety will carry on into the rest of the year. Fasting in Ramadan also develops compassion for those who are poor and needy, thereby inspiring the act of giving. Through the “Back to School Giveaway”, ICNA and MAS hope to both help struggling families provide for their children and inspire the American Muslim community to partake in these commendable acts.

What: Back to School Giveaway

Who: Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) & Muslim American Society (MAS)

When: Sunday, August 29, 2010 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Where: MAS Youth Center, 1933 Bath Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11214

The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and Muslim American Society (MAS) are American Muslim organizations dedicated to the betterment of society through the promotion of Islamic values. ICNA and MAS work to build relations between communities by devoting their selves to education, outreach, social service, and activism.

Lana Safah
Spokesperson
Muslim American Society of New York
1933 Bath Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11214
E-mail: LanaSafah@gmail.com
Phone: (917) 669-1360

Omar Ranginwala
Outreach Director
Islamic Circle of North America- NY
166-26 89th Ave
Jamaica, NY 11432
E-mail: pr@icnany.org
Office: 646-820-ICNA (4262)

This release was published on openPR.