Donors were able to drive their vehicles and drop off their donations while maintaining social distancing. The events were organized at Milpitas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Seattle, San Fernando Valley, and Torrance Jamatkhanas.
Santa Clara Valley Ismailis partnered with the Milpitas Police Department and donated nearly 15,000 food items to the Milpitas Food Pantry. “I wanted to say thank you for the amazingly beautiful load of food you brought,” said Karen Kolander, Executive Director for the pantry. “You have really blessed the pantry with your thoughtful donations. Thanks so much.”
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Councilmember for the city of Milpitas, Karina Dominguez, stopped by to thank the Ismaili community and the volunteers for their generosity and kindness in these difficult times by handing volunteers flowers and personalized note of thanks.
Chief Armando Corpuz of the Milpitas Police Department was one of many officers who assisted in marketing and serving at the event. When I-CERV volunteers expressed their appreciation to the police department, Chief Corpuz reciprocated the appreciation. “Thank you for allowing our officers to join your community in this event. We’re happy to assist the community, but it is our officers who truly benefit – they are able to see the good and humanity present in our community, a welcome change of perspective to the things they otherwise see while protecting the city.”
Orange County volunteers partnered with Families Forward and collected over 7,000 items. The City of Irvine Councilmember, Farrah Khan, attended the event and recognized the volunteers as well as those who donated. “I’m just so proud of the work the community is doing here. I’m so happy to see people come out and drop off food for our needy families.”
Volunteers from Seattle coordinated a successful event despite experiencing rainfall, and community members were eager to deliver their donations that were then hand-delivered to Friends of the Children-Seattle. “I truly enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the volunteers both from the Ismaili community as well as from Friends of the Children,” says Susan Weaver of St. John Vianney Parish. “Their dedication and kindness are inspiring. The generosity of the community in the abundance of food donated was heart-warming.”
The donations collected from the Los Angeles, Torrance, and San Fernando Valley events totaled over 15,600 food items, with 12,000 food items collected in just one weekend. The donations were delivered to the Tiyya Foundation and the Islamic Center of Southern California.
I-CERV volunteers also acquired and provided nearly 6,500 items of personal protective equipment, as well as nutritious snacks to local police departments and healthcare professionals from Phoenix to Sacramento, and from Santa Monica to San Gabriel Valley.
Taking the initiative, some individuals, on their own, in Los Angeles and Orange County also donated funds to purchase snacks and chocolates for the ICU staff at three hospitals on behalf of the Jamat, in appreciation of their efforts.
