The Project Ramadan initiative was created under Muslim Welfare Centre of Toronto almost 10 years ago by a group of young adults who found themselves concerned about the food disparity within their local community.

This Sunday, April 22nd, they are coming to Ottawa to volunteer at the Ottawa Food Bank and raise awareness about food insecurity in Canada and they hope you wil join them.

This summer I was blessed to get an eight-week summer job placement with Sadaqa Food Bank as the media/events coordinator, and it reminded me of how important it was to help other people. With a half-finished undergraduate degree in human rights, I have realized that theorizing about poverty will not solve anything.

When Waris Malik and his team of volunteers from the Islamic Foundation of Toronto set out to form a community soup kitchen back in 2005, they had little idea that their efforts would lead to the establishment of the first free restaurant-style soup kitchen in Canada.

It was during his involvement with relief efforts for the Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster when Mr. Malik realized that in addition to what was being done overseas, there was need at home as well, right in his own community: “We thought, if we have done so much for overseas efforts, why don't we do something for our own city and our own country?” And thus Hot Soup Day was developed.