Zakat Foundation of America is pleased to work with the Muslim Soup Kitchen Project (MSKP) and Unity House to distribute halal meat to those in need. Recently, Zakat Foundation of America donated a freezer to MSKP, a program started by the Al-Hidaya Center, an Islamic community that serves the towns of Latham and Troy in New York.
The freezer provided by Zakat Foundation of America was accompanied with 215 pounds of fresh halal meat and placed at the Unity House in Troy. Unity House is a well-established non-profit in the area that serves meals to 150-200 people per day at no cost.
The goal is to provide meals to the homeless and those in need as well as providing the option of halal meat. The program wants to serve the entire community, non-Muslim and Muslim alike, by collaborating with local NGOs.
The MSKP was started in 2003 by a group of local Muslim college students. Now, it’s made up of over 150 dedicated volunteers that are active in monthly food drives. Their distribution includes a menu of fresh meats, vegetables, fruits, and desserts.
“This particular collaborative project was launched during the summer right before Ramadan,” said Murat Kose, Zakat Foundation of America’s East Coast Program Director. “We were very much interested in the concept of food drives and liked the idea of partnering with organizations who do similar work.”
While food drives are an integral part of charity organizations, it’s always refreshing to see foundations and communities come together and approach it from different perspectives. Zakat Foundation of America wishes to continue building connections with local agencies to serve those in our own communities regardless of religious affiliations.
Mr. Kose stated there are plans to launch similar halal food pantries in the near future. Anyone who is interested in establishing a halal food pantry can directly contact Zakat Foundation of America at [email protected].