Hawzah News Agency (Leeds - UK) - The manager of a Leeds-based charity which is delivering hundreds of food packs to disadvantaged people including asylum seekers during the lockdown said demand for help has been "unprecedented."
Give a Gift is set to help more than 900 people with food packs and vouchers after the charity was given more than £21,000 by Islamic Relief UK.
Give a Gift has started distributing food packs door to door to some of the most vulnerable people in Harehills, Beeston, Armley, Burley Hyde Park, Gipton and Seacroft.
As the holy Islamic month of Ramadan continues, many of the Muslim volunteers at Give a Gift are fasting as they work non-stop to help others.
Before receiving help from Give a Gift, one asylum seeking family in Leeds had not received any food packs for a month.
The family, which included the mother who is 26-weeks pregnant and three children aged under seven, was referred to Give a Gift by a health visitor.
The food packs contain essential items such oil, teabags, sugar, rice, flour, pasta, red lentils, tinned chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, meat and dates.
The pack will feed a family of six for a week.
Food vouchers are also being given to enable families to buy general goods from supermarkets to supplement their food packs.
Although some of the families are receiving food packs from other agencies, the parcels are generically packed and can contain non-halal items.
Give a Gift is ensuring the food packs are culturally appropriate and has seen demand increase considerably during the Ramadan period.
Rifhat Malik MBE, project manager at Give a Gift said: “The demand for help during the lockdown is unprecedented and we are doing everything we can to help some of the most vulnerable communities including asylum seekers.
"We are also trusted by the Muslim communities to ensure that we follow their dietary requirements of Halal food. With support from local supermarkets and partners such as the Barakah team and the Muslim Kitchen, the families feel reassured knowing they will receive a weekly food supply.
"The support of the community is also enabling us to support non-Muslim families at this vital time”
Tufail Hussain, Director of Islamic Relief UK said: “I’ve witnessed Give a Gift’s efforts on the ground, supporting the most vulnerable refugee families; we are honored to be supporting such a vital charity doing amazing work to help people in this extremely difficult time.
"The Give a Gift team are extremely dedicated and work long hours with huge demands to bring much needed relief to some of the most vulnerable communities. We are truly humbled by their efforts, especially as many will be fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.”
Before receiving help from Give a Gift, one asylum seeking family in Leeds had not received any food packs for a month.
The family, which included the mother who is 26-weeks pregnant and three children aged under seven, was referred to Give a Gift by a health visitor.
The food packs contain essential items such oil, teabags, sugar, rice, flour, pasta, red lentils, tinned chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, meat and dates.
The pack will feed a family of six for a week.
Food vouchers are also being given to enable families to buy general goods from supermarkets to supplement their food packs.
Although some of the families are receiving food packs from other agencies, the parcels are generically packed and can contain non-halal items.
Give a Gift is ensuring the food packs are culturally appropriate and has seen demand increase considerably during the Ramadan period.
Rifhat Malik MBE, project manager at Give a Gift said: “The demand for help during the lockdown is unprecedented and we are doing everything we can to help some of the most vulnerable communities including asylum seekers.
"We are also trusted by the Muslim communities to ensure that we follow their dietary requirements of Halal food. With support from local supermarkets and partners such as the Barakah team and the Muslim Kitchen, the families feel reassured knowing they will receive a weekly food supply.