DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Ramadan is Islam's holy month, during which Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, focusing on spiritual reflection, prayer, and acts of charity.
However, a Dearborn-based non–profit is also working this month to strengthen the community and tackle food waste.
It's around 930 p.m., and the Helping Handzzz Foundation volunteers are busy at Dearborn's Islamic Institute of Knowledge's parking lot repacking home-cooked meals.
"We provide thousands of meals and it's gotten to where it's at because of my team and I wouldn't have been able to do without the community as well," said Nadine Daoud.
From the homeless to the less fortunate, the founder, Nadine Daoud, and her team provide meals to nearly 400 people weekly.
"So we have two missions. We have the pre-iftar mission. And Post iftar. Iftar is the time when we break our fast. So our pre-iftar mission focuses more on families that are in need in the community. We have sponsors that provide them with a meal for them to break fast. And then by Iftar, a time when everyone is breaking fast around maghrib, which is sundown, there is a lot of food that gets left," Nadine said.
Untouched leftovers are picked up by volunteers 6 nights a week. Board member Daoud Wehbi and other volunteers collect meals around an hour after sunset.
"What do the meals entail?" I asked
"We try to focus on healthy meals especially when it comes to the homeless people. So we try to give them a protein, a vegetable, rice with even a sweet treat on the side and a drink," Nadine said.
The meals are later repackaged for distribution.
"I really didn't think it would get to where it is. But I always say we are doing God's work," Nadine said.
Nadine got the idea in 2017, at her grandmother's dining table during Iftar, when she noticed the amount of leftover food.
"In Islam we are taught to know the importance of values and resources, like food. So I believe that food waste is a misuse, of Allah's blessings," Nadine said.
"Does it surprise you the amount of food that actually gets wasted?" I asked.
"It's shocking," Nadine said.
It's 10:30 pm, and the team is ready to head to downtown Detroit. The first order of business is to feed the homeless on the streets. The remainder is delivered to a Detroit shelter.
"What happens after Ramadan?" I asked.
"We focus on the bigger holidays, like thanksgiving, Eid, Christmas things like that where people have those get togethers again. So we will throughout a flyer, and we will be like if you have any leftover food, we will come and distribute it that way," Daoud said.
By 11:30 pm the team is ready to call it another successful night.
To learn how you can contribute or seek the foundation's assistance, head to their Instagram page.
