—FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (September 15, 2011) – ICNA Relief’s nationwide Back 2 School Giveaway project continues today, September 15, 2011 in Minneapolis, MN. ICNA Relief will be assisting Anishinabe Academy by distributing 500 bags filled with school supplies. Anishinabe Academy, a Minneapolis public school, has a 99.9% Native American student population.
Shahid Farooqi, ICNA Relief’s Director of Outreach, says, “This event is unique since this is the only event where college students and faculty helped ICNA Relief bag the school supplies. We will assist elementary school students who desperately need school supplies year round.” According to the principal, Anishinabe Academy received no donations this year, and this underserved school population would welcome school supplies even after the school year has started. The support is urgently needed and appreciated.
The Muslim Students Organization (MSO) of Metro State University is playing a major role in this effort. Today’s bagging event will take place in New Main, Great Hall and college student volunteers will participate in the bagging process. Notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, rulers, crayons and scissors were distributed among the school bags.
ICNA Relief and representatives from different organizations will be speaking at the Back 2 School Event. Co-sponsors include:
VOICE (Voice of the Indian Council for Educational Success)
Hope Within U (Health & Wellness)
Alcohol & Drug Counseling
CCBL (Center for Community-Based Learning)
SLLD (Student Life & Leadership Development Office)
Wal-Mart and Target
Shahid Farooqi and Imam Sa’eed Purcell, a local ICNA Relief Representative will be visiting Anishinabe Academy on Friday, September 16th to distribute the book bags in each classroom. “Usually, parents and their children come over to a site where ICNA Relief distributes the bag to parents. This time, we will be going directly to school,” says Farooqi.
For more information and to donate visit http://www.icnarelief.com/
ICNA Relief is the social services branch of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), a grassroots American Muslim organization dedicated to the betterment of society through the promotion of Islamic values.
