Muslim Hearts for Haiti

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CAIRO — Local Muslims in the US Midwest state of Missouri have organized a benefit dinner to contribute to feeding the hungry in the quake-hit Haiti.

"We found out from our friends who are working in Haiti right now that the biggest problem is hunger," Ahmad Sheikh, an area physician and co-organizer of the benefit dinner, told the Southeast Missourian on Monday, February 22.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned last week that Haiti is facing dire shortage of food more than a month after 7.0-magnitude quake killed nearly 217,000 people and left more than one million homeless.

It noted that many Haitians were eating the seeds they have stored for the next planting season and eating or selling their livestock.

"They're really, really suffering," lamented Sheikh.
Seeking to raise money to feed desperate Haitians, Muslims in Cape Girardeau city, southeast Missouri, held a benefit dinner for 400 donors.

Nearly 20 Muslim volunteers cooked and served Middle Eastern cuisine for the diners.

In addition to the time donated, all of the food was also given by the Muslim community.

Organizers said donations and the proceeds from dinner, themed Hearts for Haiti, will go to Helping Hand USA for relief efforts in Haiti and the Haitian Relief Fund.

"We work very closely with people who are doing relief efforts in Haiti and all over the world," Sheikh said.

Hailed

Muslims and non-Muslims who attended or participated in the event praised the Muslim initiative.

"I'm so glad there's a turnout for the Islamic community," said Ruth Ann Orr, a dinner.

Paul Mingus and Tina McRaven, invited to the event by their friends at the Islamic Center, were equally appreciative.

"It's for a good cause, and it's an opportunity to try different food," McRaven said.

Angie Tygett, a volunteer, said she was thrilled to see the mosque hosting an event to support Haiti.

"It's wonderful.

"I just think we all need to be more global," she said.

This is not the first time the Islamic center organize benefit dinners for a humanitarian cause.

A similar one was organized in 2004 after a tsunami devastated several South Asian countries, including Indonesia.

"Wherever there's a catastrophe, we try to create awareness and work with it,"