Muslim-run food charities springing up to help London's poor

The Sufra food bank, run from a small community centre on a north-west London housing estate, is in high demand. The Muslim charity's Wednesday afternoon session sees a constant stream of people coming to claim food packages: young couples, men on their own and mothers trying to keep toddlers quiet.

Ali Jawad, a 22-year-old business student and regular volunteer, takes some details from another Sufra "guest" and begins to fill blue plastic bags with cereal, soup cans, pasta, rice, biscuits and baby food. The amount given depends on the size of the family, but is designed to get each one through the next five days.

"It's been a real eye-opener," says Jawad. "You know poverty is out there, but you don't always see it. So to speak to single mothers who can't afford food for their child, or someone walking miles across London to get here, it can be heartbreaking. We try to be a friendly face as well as providing the food they need."

Food banks in the UK are overwhelmingly operated by church-affiliated groups, including the 421 outlets run by Christian charity, the Trussell Trust. Yet Sufra, meaning "come to the table" in Arabic, is one of a growing number of Muslim organisations also attempting to tackle food poverty.

Like many Christians motivated by their faith to help others, giving to the less fortunate is an important tenet of Islam. Voluntary donations and charity work (Sadaqah) among British Muslims have typically been geared towards poverty relief projects overseas. But Sufra organisers say many Muslims now "increasingly feel they have a responsibility to the wider community and the problems here in Britain".

Sufra and parent charity Al-Mizan (which provides grants of up to £500 to individuals in crisis across the UK) offer support to anyone in need, regardless of religion or ethnic background. Halal and non-halal foods are available: cans of pork sausages are carefully marked out with red stickers.

Tesstacious wrote:Well done to those people.  But - Ben, your thread title needs to be changed.  It's totally inaccurate.  It states that "Muslim-run food banks are springing up everywhere", but the article only refers to this one single Muslim-run food bank.  All the other hundreds of food banks are run by Christian organisations, and the Trussel Trust.

I googled "Muslim-run food banks springing up to help London's poor" but couldn't find reference to any other single one - only the odd charity event.  So, if you think Andy's thread title was misleading then surely that should apply to you too.

Tesstacious wrote:Well done to those people.  But - Ben, your thread title needs to be changed.  It's totally inaccurate.  It states that "Muslim-run food banks are springing up everywhere", but the article only refers to this one single Muslim-run food bank.  All the other hundreds of food banks are run by Christian organisations, and the Trussel Trust.

I googled "Muslim-run food banks springing up to help London's poor" but couldn't find reference to any other single one - only the odd charity event.  So, if you think Andy's thread title was misleading then surely that should apply to you too.

Tesstacious wrote:Well done to those people.  But - Ben, your thread title needs to be changed.  It's totally inaccurate.  It states that "Muslim-run food banks are springing up everywhere", but the article only refers to this one single Muslim-run food bank.  All the other hundreds of food banks are run by Christian organisations, and the Trussel Trust.

I googled "Muslim-run food banks springing up to help London's poor" but couldn't find reference to any other single one - only the odd charity event.  So, if you think Andy's thread title was misleading then surely that should apply to you too.

Tesstacious wrote:Well done to those people.  But - Ben, your thread title needs to be changed.  It's totally inaccurate.  It states that "Muslim-run food banks are springing up everywhere", but the article only refers to this one single Muslim-run food bank.  All the other hundreds of food banks are run by Christian organisations, and the Trussel Trust.

I googled "Muslim-run food banks springing up to help London's poor" but couldn't find reference to any other single one - only the odd charity event.  So, if you think Andy's thread title was misleading then surely that should apply to you too.

Stephenmarra wrote:

Tesstacious wrote:Well done to those people.  But - Ben, your thread title needs to be changed.  It's totally inaccurate.  It states that "Muslim-run food banks are springing up everywhere", but the article only refers to this one single Muslim-run food bank.  All the other hundreds of food banks are run by Christian organisations, and the Trussel Trust.

I googled "Muslim-run food banks springing up to help London's poor" but couldn't find reference to any other single one - only the odd charity event.  So, if you think Andy's thread title was misleading then surely that should apply to you too.

Touché, me thinks.  ::smthg::

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Tesstacious wrote:Well done to those people.  But - Ben, your thread title needs to be changed.  It's totally inaccurate.  It states that "Muslim-run food banks are springing up everywhere", but the article only refers to this one single Muslim-run food bank.  All the other hundreds of food banks are run by Christian organisations, and the Trussel Trust.

I googled "Muslim-run food banks springing up to help London's poor" but couldn't find reference to any other single one - only the odd charity event.  So, if you think Andy's thread title was misleading then surely that should apply to you too.

Nice, Tess. But my headline doesn't say they're springing up everywhere and the story states, "Sufra, meaning "come to the table" in Arabic, is one of a growing number of Muslim organisations also attempting to tackle food poverty."

eddie wrote:Well it's nice that any bloody charity helps starving families.
If children get to eat, I don't care who provides it.

smelly_bandit wrote:

eddie wrote:Well it's nice that any bloody charity helps starving families.
If children get to eat, I don't care who provides it.

so if hitler wanted to feed your kid you would be happy??

Nems wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

so if hitler wanted to feed your kid you would be happy??

She would be bloody amazed- he is dead

Nems wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

so if hitler wanted to feed your kid you would be happy??

She would be bloody amazed- he is dead

Didge wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Touché, me thinks.  ::smthg::

Or you are a tad dim, as is the below more than one?

Take your time



[size=13]Sufra will soon be moving to larger premises where it will launch a "food academy" to train vulnerable young people – care leavers, ex-offenders and those recovering from addiction – how to cook and manage budgets. "It would have been naive to think the food bank alone is enough," Mamdani explains.
Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts. Muslim students organising on social media have dubbed the meals "flashmob Iftars".
In 2009, the Islamic Society of Britain started one-off eat 'n' meet events along similar lines. Last November, the society began helping fund a weekly Peace Centre food bank in a deprived part of Leicester.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/02/Muslim-groups-food-banks-tackle-poverty[/size]

Tesstacious wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Nice, Tess. But my headline doesn't say they're springing up everywhere and the story states, "Sufra, meaning "come to the table" in Arabic, is one of a growing number of Muslim organisations also attempting to tackle food poverty."

Sorry, but your headline says "Muslim-run food banks are springing up" - and they're not.  I can't find any other Muslim-run food bank in existence, so both your heading and the OP aren't accurate.

eddie wrote:

Nems wrote:

She would be bloody amazed- he is dead

Hahahahahaha nems

And smelly? If my child was starving I'd take food from anyone that hadnt poisoned it! Yes.
Wouldn't you?

Stephenmarra wrote:

Didge wrote:



Or you are a tad dim, as is the below more than one?

Take your time



[size=13]Sufra will soon be moving to larger premises where it will launch a "food academy" to train vulnerable young people – care leavers, ex-offenders and those recovering from addiction – how to cook and manage budgets. "It would have been naive to think the food bank alone is enough," Mamdani explains.
Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts. Muslim students organising on social media have dubbed the meals "flashmob Iftars".
In 2009, the Islamic Society of Britain started one-off eat 'n' meet events along similar lines. Last November, the society began helping fund a weekly Peace Centre food bank in a deprived part of Leicester.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/02/Muslim-groups-food-banks-tackle-poverty[/size]

Good  to see Didge  really is but when has Leicester been in London.  :\\:[:

smelly_bandit wrote:

eddie wrote:


Hahahahahaha nems

And smelly? If my child was starving I'd take food from anyone that hadnt poisoned it! Yes.
Wouldn't you?

no

id turn sooner to crime

smelly_bandit wrote:

eddie wrote:


Hahahahahaha nems

And smelly? If my child was starving I'd take food from anyone that hadnt poisoned it! Yes.
Wouldn't you?

no

id turn sooner to crime

eddie wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

no

id turn sooner to crime

Oh I'd do that too. But I'd feed myself and child first.

Stephenmarra wrote:

Didge wrote:



Or you are a tad dim, as is the below more than one?

Take your time



[size=13]Sufra will soon be moving to larger premises where it will launch a "food academy" to train vulnerable young people – care leavers, ex-offenders and those recovering from addiction – how to cook and manage budgets. "It would have been naive to think the food bank alone is enough," Mamdani explains.
Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts. Muslim students organising on social media have dubbed the meals "flashmob Iftars".
In 2009, the Islamic Society of Britain started one-off eat 'n' meet events along similar lines. Last November, the society began helping fund a weekly Peace Centre food bank in a deprived part of Leicester.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/02/Muslim-groups-food-banks-tackle-poverty[/size]

Good  to see Didge  really is but when has Leicester been in London.  :\\:[:

smelly_bandit wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Good  to see Didge  really is but when has Leicester been in London.  :\\:[:

you have to forgive didge

he lives in the land of the lefty mclunatic clan

its an imaginary world were everything is anything and anything is everything

smelly_bandit wrote:

eddie wrote:

Oh I'd do that too. But I'd feed myself and child first.

yeah

id rob the Muslim foodbank     

smelly_bandit wrote:

eddie wrote:

Oh I'd do that too. But I'd feed myself and child first.

yeah

id rob the Muslim foodbank     

Nems wrote:Most of the food banks are church run and held in church halls etc, although I know of one that is in Tesco (must be lovely for those queuing for their allocation to see all the full trolleys trundling out of the doors   ) So it is nice to see this one example of a Muslim one. I do hope its not like the Little Sisters of the Poor though, you know the nuns that do all kinds for the poor, as long as they are Catholic poor. 

Stephenmarra wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

you have to forgive didge

he lives in the land of the lefty mclunatic clan

its an imaginary world were everything is anything and anything is everything

I thought I did myself but I sometimes wonder on here.  

Didge wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Good  to see Didge  really is but when has Leicester been in London.  :\\:[:

DOH I guess you are rather thick after all, what did it actually say?


Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts








Never mind, you are a dummy I guess 

smelly_bandit wrote:

Didge wrote:



DOH I guess you are rather thick after all, what did it actually say?


Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts








Never mind, you are a dummy I guess 

so it comes with proselytizing strings attached  

Didge wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Good  to see Didge  really is but when has Leicester been in London.  :\\:[:

DOH I guess you are rather thick after all, what did it actually say?


Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts








Never mind, you are a dummy I guess 

eddie wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

yeah

id rob the Muslim foodbank     

Well then I'd rob you   

smelly_bandit wrote:

eddie wrote:


Well then I'd rob you   

no need

you can get free food from my CHRISTIAN run food bank two doors down

its always stocked up,not like that Muslim one over the road that hardly ever has any food in it

 ::D:: 

Stephenmarra wrote:

Didge wrote:



DOH I guess you are rather thick after all, what did it actually say?


Muslim-run food aid projects across Britain have emerged from seasonal events held during Ramadan: mosques or cultural groups inviting homeless people to share in Iftar feasts








Never mind, you are a dummy I guess 

"Across Britain "  what does the Title say. Does the London poor have to bus it across Britain to get  help

Didge wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

no need

you can get free food from my CHRISTIAN run food bank two doors down

its always stocked up,not like that Muslim one over the road that hardly ever has any food in it

 ::D:: 

That was not the option dummy, as what if the Muslim one was your only chance of survival, you would go against your faith and commit suicide by not eating or eat food given by a Muslim?
If you steal the food, hardly the making of a Christian, being as if you eat the food anyway it has come from Muslims leaving you fucked anyway ha ha ha  


Making you once again a dummy

smelly_bandit wrote:

Didge wrote:


That was not the option dummy, as what if the Muslim one was your only chance of survival, you would go against your faith and commit suicide by not eating or eat food given by a Muslim?
If you steal the food, hardly the making of a Christian, being as if you eat the food anyway it has come from Muslims leaving you fucked anyway ha ha ha  


Making you once again a dummy

oh well im taking a page out of your book and changing the options like you did on my thread

i make the rules here

Didge wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:
"Across Britain "  what does the Title say. Does the London poor have to bus it across Britain to get  help

This is another example in London, would you like more?


DOH


Dimwit

smelly_bandit wrote:

Didge wrote:


That was not the option dummy, as what if the Muslim one was your only chance of survival, you would go against your faith and commit suicide by not eating or eat food given by a Muslim?
If you steal the food, hardly the making of a Christian, being as if you eat the food anyway it has come from Muslims leaving you fucked anyway ha ha ha  


Making you once again a dummy

oh well im taking a page out of your book and changing the options like you did on my thread

i make the rules here

Stephenmarra wrote:

Didge wrote:


This is another example in London, would you like more?


DOH


Dimwit

Can you not post without the insults ? I wont say what it makes you look like.

eddie wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

oh well im taking a page out of your book and changing the options like you did on my thread

i make the rules here

Lol

Didge wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Can you not post without the insults ? I wont say what it makes you look like.

Its not an insult when you tried to look smart and ended up looking a dummy

Stephenmarra wrote:

Didge wrote:



Its not an insult when you tried to look smart and ended up looking a dummy

OK, I'll play, Fuck off you sanctimonious prat ! How many pages do you want to keep this up for.  

Sassy wrote:Oh Didge for pity's sake!   Can we not have all the 'egg on face, need a tissue', owned etc etc etc, just for once.

Sassy wrote:Oh Didge for pity's sake!   Can we not have all the 'egg on face, need a tissue', owned etc etc etc, just for once.

Didge wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

OK, I'll play, Fuck off you sanctimonious prat ! How many pages do you want to keep this up for.  

Ahhh back to how you first posted to me because I said your pointless drivel about Quill was boring and showing how also you were hypocritical with insults to me with that.

As many pages as you like, you looked the dummy on your idiotic agreement to tess's post, trying to look smart and ending up with so much egg on your face, do you need a tissue?

Catman wrote:

Sassy wrote:Oh Didge for pity's sake!   Can we not have all the 'egg on face, need a tissue', owned etc etc etc, just for once.

This post was made by Didge who is currently on your ignore list. Display this post.     

Didge wrote:

Sassy wrote:Oh Didge for pity's sake!   Can we not have all the 'egg on face, need a tissue', owned etc etc etc, just for once.

Yes the boy needs to learn when he started the insults over naff all, now he learns.

Anyway it was funny also, because when people dig a hole, they always dig further into one, never learning to back down.

He took issue with some advice I gave and was insulting and rude, so I now return the compliment, simple really

Didge wrote:

smelly_bandit wrote:

oh well im taking a page out of your book and changing the options like you did on my thread

i make the rules here

I am afraid you do not make the rules with your faith dummy ha ha ha ha ha

I never made the rules on hypothetical questions either, they just have to be realistic, yours was not, what is realistic is the rules of what is taught in your faith, so either you are Christian or not


I love this ha ha