When a massive earthquake rocked Japan in March, leaving a wide path of devastation and months of rehabilitation in its wake, Samin Khan and other members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community decided to take action.
What started it all was the Japanese earthquake. It was so devastating and changed the lives of an entire country, said Khan.
After the May 22 tornado in Joplin, MO hit, capping of weeks of similar disasters throughout the south, Khan decided to help both Japan and Americans rebound.
A fundraising dinner featuring Indian/Pakistani and American food prepared by members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Temple Sinai and members of the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church in Saratoga Springs will take place on Sunday, June 12, at the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church at 24 Circular St.
`Whatever we raise will go to domestic places and Japan,` said Khan.
Ticket sales to the dinner will benefit ShelterBox USA, an international disaster relief charity of Rotary International that delivers emergency supply boxes to people affected by disasters worldwide.
According to shelterboxusa.org, the organization sets a goal of sending out 500,000 boxes a year. As of this writing, 106,062 boxes had been delivered so far.
`ShelterBox is a really nice idea; we haven’t heard of it before,` said Khan. `In Joplin or Japan, everying comes in a box so they have something to live off. It gives basic needs.`
It takes $1,000 to sponsor one box. Each box can service a family of six to eight people and contains essential equipment for someone who is displaced or homeless, including a tent, blankets, water purifier, cook and heating stove, eating and cooking utensils, tools and other things.
Temple Sinai, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the Presbyterian-New England Congregational Church may seem like an odd assortment of groups working together. Khan said they’re really very much the same.
`You have to keep your eyes on the prize so we have a common goal in all religions and cultures to do good for the less fortunate people,` said Khan. `We try to look beyond our differences and keep our eyes on the goal.`
The three groups have joined forces before to hold various other events, so Khan said this fundraising dinner is just an extension of that relationship.
`We’ve been working together. It’s a friendship and we’re trying to build on that friendship,` said Khan. `More and more people are jumping on board and want to be involved and this was the intention.`
The idea to hold a dinner grew out of their different lives yet similar values.
`We came up with a bunch of ideas but the church had a commercial kitchen and we can provide the Indian/Pakistani food because we do cooking classes of our own at shelters in the area the Jewish temple bakes a lot so it was something we all could provide and work together,` said Khan. `When we’re cooking and serving we’re working together. All our communities could work together and get to know each other and this was a very good way to do it.`
Tickets to the dinner are $10 for adults, $7 for children and $30 for a family of two adults and up to four children. Take out is also available. Tickets can be purchased by calling Linda LeTendre at 584-0902 or Khan at 542-5801.
For more information about ShelterBox USA, visit shelterboxusa.org.
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