Thanksgiving 2008 Turkey Drive Underway Already!

Six hundred turkeys were donated by the Chicago Muslim community to needy families in Chicago for Thanksgiving, in 2007. The organizers of this drive were American Muslims for Activism and Learning (AMAL) and Sabeel Food Pantry. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and the hard work of many volunteers, Emmett Till Academy did not have to turn away any of its families, for the first time in the history of the drive. In fact, because of the Muslim community’s amazing response, the drive was expanded outside of Emmett Till – another first. Co-sponsors, the Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN), helped identify and deliver 100 turkeys to needy families in the Marquette Park community. Overall, Chicago Muslims helped feed more than twice the number of families this year, compared to Thanksgiving in 2006.

 

Thank You to all the Supporters, Co-sponsors and Donors!

A number of institutions contributed financially and/ or rallied support for the cause:

Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America ( IFANCA) negotiated prices for the turkeys resulting in savings of thousands in comparison to the 2006 pricing, Community Builders, Comet Press, Mohammed Webb Foundation, IQRA, The American Islamic Association Frankfort (AIA), Muslim Community Center(MCC), Chicago Islamic Center, Downtown Islamic Center (DIC), Muslims for a Safe America, Maghreb Association of North America ( MANA), Islamic Arab Voice of Chicago Community (IAVCC), Al-Offak Newspaper, The Muslim Journal Newspaper, The Future Newspaper, Chicago Muslims For Peace, Muslim American Society (MAS-Chicago),Muslim American SocietyYouth (MAS-Youth), Orland Park Prayer Center, Universal School, Al Aqsa School & Islamic Foundation (IF).

 

We also acknowledge key individuals for their efforts:

Dr. Azher Quader, Dr.Munir Chaudry, Ayesha Mustafaa, Dr.Afzal Ahmad, Khalid Mozaffar, Sadiya Khan, Sh.Nazir Chahin, Kareem Irfan, Kamran Memon, Nikia Bilal, Tabinda and Tarek Azam, Nida Shakir, Asma Shakir, Salman Chaudry, Sofia Shakir, Rifat Sivisoglu, Tamim Chowdhury, Zeshan Sadek, Quader Latifi, Rafi Peterson, Amani Ghouleh, Mansour Tadros, Dr. Ahmed Sakr, Yousif Marei, Dr. Zaher Sahloul, and last but not the least, Anam El-Jabali. Ms. El-Jabali volunteered countless hours over the six months prior to Thanksgiving, gathering most of the endorsements personally, soliciting donations at Muslim institutions, distributing thousands of flyers, and getting the Turkey Drive publicized across the country. We cannot express our gratitude enough.

 

Further, the drive wouldn’t have been as great a success without its individual donors.

Turkey Platinum List ($250+)

Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America

Jihad Shoshara and Sofia Shakir

Munir Chaudry and Ejaz Rahim

Nejd and Fauzia Alsikafi

Pediatric Health Associates, Ltd.

Tahan Thraya and Amany Jondy

Rany Jazayerli and Belsam Kashlan

Moeen Saleem and Saera Arain

Anonymous (1)

 

Turkey Gold List ($100-$249)

Suha Ahmed

AIA Masjid

The Future Newspaper

Carol Rahim

Ghulam and Mehrunnisa Panawala

Yousuf and Dilara Sayeed

Samir Gouda

Mohammad and Ruhi Shariff

Salman Chaudry

Eric and Samina Waggoner

Marcia Hermansen

Adil Pediatrics, Inc.

Rummana Hussain

Sami Khalid

Mohammed and Shamim Moinuddin

Rashaad Balbale

Sara Sultan

Sameer Afsar

Hassan and Dema Alzein

Ashraf Hasan and Madiha Syed

Shakoor Wali

Mahmood and Soffiya Siddiqui

Zaher and Suzanne Sahloul

Edward and Pamela Caulfield

Nikia Bilal

 

Turkey Silver List ($50-$99)

Iltifat and Maihlaqa Alavi

Tarannum Qureishi

Eiman Abdelmoniem and Asma Akhras

Tamim Chowdhury

Naazish YarKhan

Bill and Martha Strening

Mohammad and Catherine Iqbal

Bushra Munif

Andrew Pigott

Rizwan Merchant

Syed Majid

Talath and A. Wajid Ahmed

Adam Rimawi

Monsur Hossain

Ruqia Shamsi

Viquar and Saima Ahmed

LaDale and Donna George

Mohammed and Shazia Khan

Scott and Karen Whitsitt

Orville and Patricia Borrowdale

Paul and Heidi Tanzillo

Rauf and Amena Yousuf

Affan and Kiran Arain

Muslims for a Safe America

Arab Womens Association

Anam El-Jabali

 

Many, many more donated between $10 and $50.

 

Future Plans: Thanksgiving Turkey Drive 2008

We are planning to add an Islamic school and Islamic centers to receive halal turkeys during 2008, in addition to the two locations we served during 2007. Donations can be sent year round to AMAL P.O. BOX 2187, Chicago, IL 60690 or online using PayPal at www.sabeelpantry.org.