Islamic Relief Canada (IRC) has rolled out its Share Your Warmth initiative across the country, with volunteers gathering at Ottawa’s Islamic Relief Centre on Jan. 18, to package winter relief kits for those in need.
The kits will be distributed to the homeless as well as families in need, some of which are new Canadians that haven’t been exposed to the cold weather. They include warm clothing, living essentials, and hygiene necessities.
“The winter here is so harsh and freezing, especially the past two or three years, sadly some homeless have been dying in downtown streets,” said Ottawa Regional Manager of the IRC, Yazan Nasreddin. “Head office decided to do something to save these lives which is important to all of us.”
Winter relief kits are being assembled and distributed in Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Ont., London, Ont., Mississauga, Ont., Montreal, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Scarborough, Ont., and Vancouver.
In Canada, more than 80 people die each year from over-exposure to the cold, according to Ottawa Public Health.
“Some of us are in high school, some of us are in university and we volunteer with Islamic relief to show our values, youth that are working and giving back to the community,” said Saad Babur, a Carleton University student and IRC volunteer. “We know that there is distress and we want to help them out by supporting.”
Babur said that initiatives like these can bring the community together in a way that he hasn’t seen before.
“I have just recently moved into the community two weeks back,” said high school student Omar Saleh, a new IRC volunteer who lived in Orlando, Florida.
“This feels unnatural to me, this type of cold, so I’m trying to help out assembling those winter kits. I’ve been surprised by the brotherhood and how supportive the community is,” he said.
300 kits will be distributed in Ottawa, with 3,000 kits total being distributed across the nation through other offices.
Nasreddin said that they will team up with local homeless shelters and also distribute kits themselves to those on the streets.
During the year, IRC runs several initiatives including food aid and emergency relief efforts to support those in need. Nasreddin said that giving back is at the core of their faith.
IRC is accepting donations online to help fund the packing of more winter relief kits. For a $50 donation, individuals can provide a winter survival kit to someone in need.
“Financial support is the nerve of the operation but it’s not the only part, the team and volunteers, goodwill and intentions is what it is about,” said Nasreddin.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
