بريطانيا: إسهامات المسلمين الخيرية في دعم بنوك الطعام

خبر من مصادر إنجليزية.

ما يزال المجتمع البريطاني يشهد المزيد من الجهود الإسلامية الخيرية، التي من بينها الدور الذي تقوم به جمعية "سفرة بنك الطعام" بشمال غرب "لندن"؛ حيث يجري تقديم الأغذية للأسر الفقيرة وأفرادها من مختلف الأعمار، بما يشمل طعام الأطفال والرضع والكبار بمختلف أنواعه.

وقد أكد "محمد مدني" - مدير جمعية الميزان المسؤولة عن بنك الطعام - أنه تم تقديم مساعدات لنحو 3000 فرد خلال الـ6 أشهر الأخيرة، بتعاون 12 متطوعًا، وأنه منذ أكتوبر الماضي ما تزال الجمعية تقدم خدماتها لمختلف الأفراد من الفقراء دون تمييز على أي أساس، وأنه سيتم التوسع في المساعدات وخدمة الفقراء بمختلف المناطق؛ المصدر: شبكة الألوكة.

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Muslim groups are putting their faith in food banks to help tackle poverty

Once a preserve of Christian charities, Muslim-run food banks are now catering for diverse communities in need

The Sufra food bank, run from a small community centre on a north-west London housing estate, is in high demand. The Muslim charity's Wednesday afternoon session sees a constant stream of people coming to claim food packages: young couples, men on their own and mothers trying to keep toddlers quiet.

Ali Jawad, a 22-year-old business student and regular volunteer, takes some details from another Sufra "guest" and begins to fill blue plastic bags with cereal, soup cans, pasta, rice, biscuits and baby food. The amount given depends on the size of the family, but is designed to get each one through the next five days.

"It's been a real eye-opener," says Jawad. "You know poverty is out there, but you don't always see it. So to speak to single mothers who can't afford food for their child, or someone walking miles across London to get here, it can be heartbreaking. We try to be a friendly face as well as providing the food they need."

Mohammed Sadiq Mamdani, director of the Al-Mizan, says demand has gradually grown since they started in October last year. Initially, Sufra's 12 volunteers typically handed out 20 food packages each week, but in the past three months the number has risen to around 40. Since most attending the food bank have families of four to five, Mamdani calculates that the charity has provided food for more than 3,000 people in its first six months.