Zakat Foundation of America Hosts Eid Festival in Syracuse, New York - Zakat Foundation of America partnered with Masjid Isa, North Side Learning Center, and the Turkish Community of Syracuse, New York, to prepare an Eid festival for the local community.
More than 300 people attended the festival, including refugee families originating from Syria, Somalia, Burma, and multiple African countries. Syracuse, located in central New York, has one of the largest concentrations of refugees in the United States.
At the festival, adults enjoyed grilled barbecue foods while children snacked on cotton candy and snowcones. Activities included games, including a moon bounce, and goodie bags were distributed to all the kids.
“Community members have the chance to meet with refugees at these kinds of events,” said Murat Kose, Zakat Foundation of America’s East Coast Programs Director. “Zakat Foundation is committed to helping refugees in the U.S. as well as overseas. Syracuse is one the cities [where] Zakat Foundation of America will be doing more programs in the coming months and years.”
In Ramadan, Zakat Foundation of America also provided an Iftar meal to more than 350 people (mostly refugees) in Syracuse.
“Iftar and Eid festival was great,” said Tahir Coskun, a Zakat Foundation of America volunteer and community member. “More people than expected came, but there was plenty of delicious food.”