Every Saturday at 10 AM at our prayer space at 375 Somerset St. W, a team of dedicated volunteers comes together to make 100 lunch bags for distribution to the hungry on the streets of Centretown in Ottawa.
We need your help to continue this work! Please email info@islamcare.ca to donate to this important initiative. Or cover some of the programs costs! The program costs around $230 a week.
“The righteous are those who feed the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of God, saying: ‘We feed you for the sake of God Alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.’” (Quran, 76:8-9)
Special Thanks To Our Sponsors
Program Highlights
VEGGIES
Fresh veggies in each meal
PROTEIN
Halal chicken or beef to offer our clients a good source of protein.
DRINKS
Cool Juice or water to wash down the savory meal.
A TREAT
For our clients with a sweet tooth. No harm in having a sugary treat after a meal!
A FRUIT
A juicy source of essential vitamins and minerals.
CARE & LOVE
We take our time to get to know our clients, offer them our ears. Sometimes that’s worth more than the food.
Join Us!
We need volunteers to help purchase the groceries, make the lunch bags, distribute them and/or drive the volunteer distributors to drop off locations. If you wish to volunteer for this project, be at the centre on Saturdays. Snow-days and holidays, the program is always running!
10 AM Saturday @ 375 Somerset W.
Program Guidelines
- Renew your intentions before participating.
- Uphold the standard of excellence (Ihsan) that we as muslims are obligated to maintain.
- Get the supplies from the Independent across the street: go to the cash and ask for the Islam Care centre order (bananas, bread & washed spring-mix pack).
- Make sure not to leave the Independent without the receipt.
- Give the receipt to an organizer or send it to them by WhatsApp.
- Organizers are administrators of the WhatsApp group.
- Get the meat, cheese, mayo, 2 juice packs, panini press from fridge in the basement.
- Roll out one picnic rug in the middle of the main room (perpendicular to the windows),
- Always cover the tables with a table cloth. Table clothes are found in the supply cabinet under the TV.
- Always use gloves when handling the food.
- If a supply runs out, buy some at Independent and email a receipt to online@islamcare.ca
- If there is a surplus of juice boxes or bananas, take them with you to the shelters and hand them out respectably.
- Every sandwich should have mayo, a serving of pastrami, a slice of cheese and a bit of spring mix.
- Panini press 6 sandwiches for a minute.
- Sandwiches should be in a white sandwich bag.
- Each lunch bag should have 1 banana, 1 juice box, 1 granola bar, 1 utensil packet and 1 sandwich.
- Clean the tables with water and paper towels if there is a mess.
- Throw the garbage and extra boxes in the small dumpsters beside the Islam Care building. Do not throw garbage in the big dumpster.
- Head to the first stop (Salvation Army 171 George St,) to hand out approximately half the load.
- Try to offer the clients 1 lunch bag, but if they request more, do not turn them down.
- Be friendly!! Ask the clients how their day is going and don’t be shy to have a conversation – they may appreciate that more than the food!
- For your safety, do not interact with intoxicated clients.
- Do not hand food inside the shelter. If you are looking for clients, request the shelter staff to make an announcement about the lunch bag distribution.
- Head to the second stop (Shepherds of Good Hope 233 Murray St,).
- Do not park in the shelter parking lot; instead park infront of the shelter at this location.
- If there is a surplus of lunch bags, give it to the shelter’s kitchen inside.
