A national Muslim charity provided backpacks for needy children from West Springfield Sunday afternoon.
From a distribution tent set up outside the Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts Mosque on Amostown road in West Springfield, more than 100 children from families with limited means, received back to school backpacks.
The giveaway is part of a national program run by the disaster relief organization called the Islamic Circle of North America Relief.
Regional Representative Nadem Sikender told 22News, “So the meaning behind this, we want to make sure that every kid goes to school with a new backpack, we don’t want them to feel in any shape or form they’re behind other students.”
Women who worship at the Islamic Mosque volunteered to distribute the backpacks to the children.
They told 22News this was very rewarding work, helping the children of West Springfield begin school on an equal footing with the other children.
“It’s a good initiative for the kids,” said Pakistan native Lubne Ahmad. “If you give them free backpacks, they will be very happy because education is the most important thing.”
“I love to help people who don’t have backpacks not being able to go to go to school,” said Isra Nadem. “It’s a key to success in life.”
Before the Muslim charity completes its work on this project, it intends to distribute thousands of backpacks to deserving children throughout the country.
A well-deserved thank you came from the more than 100 West Springfield school children, to whom a backpack and other school supplies means so much.