A leading Canadian Muslim charity has launched a new Thanksgiving turkey drive, to help the less fortunate in Greater Toronto Area celebrate the occasion.
IDRF (International Development and Relief Foundation) will partner with Mohamad Fakih and Paramount Fine Foods to provide free turkeys.
“There’s far too many people hurting from hunger and food insecurity right now – so we want to deliver 500 turkeys to families in need this Thanksgiving,” said Mohamad Fakih in a social media post, Iqra.ca reported.
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The fundraising target for the drive is $25,000 which will buy 500 turkeys. Donations are eligible for a charitable donation tax receipt.
According to research conducted by The University of Toronto in 2017, one in eight households are experiencing food insecurity in Canada. That’s 4.4 million Canadians.
The Community Food Centers Canada (CFCC) reports that these numbers increased by 39% in the first two months of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Thanksgiving is a celebration observed on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and the second Monday of October in Canada.
The celebration is about giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.
Though it started as a Christian tradition, the current form of celebration is a culture holiday observed by all people of all faiths.
The celebration is marked by family gatherings, cooking food, being thankful, watching football matches, staying home from work, and all the malls offer discounts on that occasion.