The Mountain Mosque has reached and will likely surpass its goal of raising $100,000 to help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.
Javid Mirza, president of the Muslim Association of Hamilton, said they reached their goal on Feb. 17.
“I’m hoping the federal government will match the funds as they have previously in other disasters,” Mirza said.
The Mountain Mosque has reached and will likely surpass its goal of raising $100,000 to help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.
Javid Mirza, president of the Muslim Association of Hamilton, said they reached their goal on Feb. 17.
“I’m hoping the federal government will match the funds as they have previously in other disasters,” Mirza said.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
He noted the money will be distributed evenly between the two countries through Islamic Relief Fund Canada for Turkey and the Union of Medicare and Relief Canada for Syria.
Mirza said the Mountain Mosque on Stone Church Road East will continue to accept monetary donations from the public via hamiltonmosque.com or in-person at one of four donation machines available on site.
Donations of $20 or more will get a tax receipt.
“I would encourage everybody to donate more,” Mirza said. “Remember all those people in your prayers.”
Mirza said they put out the word that they were accepting donations right after the Feb. 6, 7.8-magnitude earthquake that has so far claimed more than 40,000 lives.
The public also dropped off several thousand kilograms of winter clothing, toiletries and food last week for earthquake victims that will be transported free of charge by Turkish Airlines.
Mirza said the Mountain Mosque is no longer accepting donations of clothing, toiletries and food.
At the Eastern Food Market on Upper Wentworth, innovation officer Dawood Nadeem Younis noted the Mountain store and their store in Niagara Falls began taking monetary donations for earthquake victims around mid-February.
“We are collecting donations at the till for any amount,” Younis said. “Whatever total is collected, we’re matching that.”
Younis noted some of their customers and staff have relatives in the earthquake-ravaged areas.
The collecting will continue until the end of the month and the money will be turned over to Islamic Relief Fund Canada.
Younis added they are seeing people coming into the store for the first time just so they can donate.
“(Those) folks need it,” he said.
SOURCE: https://www.thespec.com/local-hamilton-mountain/life/2023/02/23/hamilton-mountain-mosque-reaches-100-000-goal-for-earthquake-victims.html
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