Muslims plan to give away free school bags in Mount Vernon during Ramadan

Aug. 31, 2010 - PRLog -- MOUNT VERNON, New York - The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) plans to give out free school bags and school supplies to the Mount Vernon community this coming Sunday, September 5th 2010 at the Westchester Muslim 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.

Around 200 school bags containing notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, rulers, crayons and more will be distributed. Hundreds are expected to attend this Sunday’s event. Last Saturday, a similar event was held at the Andalusia School in Yonkers N.Y., which attracted hundreds of families, crowding the sidewalks.

This Mount Vernon 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.

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 hopes 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)

When: Sunday, September 5, 2010 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: Westchester Muslim Center, 22 Brookfield Road, Mount Vernon, NY 10552

For more information, contact:
Omar Ranginwala
Outreach Director
Islamic Circle of North America- NY
E-mail: pr@icnany.org
Phone: 646-820-ICNA (4262)

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The Islamic Circle of North America is an American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment of society through promoting Islamic values. ICNA works to build community relations by devoting itself to education, outreach, and social service.