DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) 鈥� After a nightly iftar meal with family members during Ramadan, Nadine Daoud noticed full pots and trays of untouched leftover food lining the shelves of her grandmother's refrigerator. Too often, she felt the food was quickly forgotten and then wasted.
The observations inspired her 2017 creation of The Helping Handzzz Foundation that brings volunteers together each year during the . They round up spare food from families 鈥� where nearly half the 110,000 residents are of Arab descent 鈥� and bring it to people without homes in neighboring Detroit.
Daoud said the group's efforts are emblematic of Islam's emphasis on respecting and valuing resources such as food and matches Ramadan's focus on 鈥渟elf-discipline and empathy toward those less fortunate.鈥�
鈥淓very family cooks a lot of food to end the night when you鈥檙e breaking your fast,鈥� Daoud said. 鈥淎nd a lot of food gets left over. And we noticed that a lot of this food was just getting stored in the fridge and forgotten about the next day.
鈥淲hat I decided to do was instead of sticking it in the fridge and forgetting about it or throwing it in the trash, I said, 鈥楲et me take it. I always see people on the corners. Let me help out and give it to them instead with a drink and a nice treat on the side.鈥�"
One recent night, Helping Handzzz board members Hussein Sareini and Daoud Wehbi and four others enjoyed an iftar prepared by Sareini鈥檚 mother.
When the meal ended, several attendees said some of the daily prayers. Then, Wehbi hopped in Sareini鈥檚 truck, and they stopped at several area homes to pick up untouched dishes. From there, they drove to the parking lot of a nearby mosque, where Nadine Daoud and others organized the food.
A caravan of vehicles then visited several spots in Detroit where people without housing regularly can be found.
Board member Mariam Hachem approached a man bundled up in blankets and lying on the sidewalk.
鈥淗i, we have a meal for you,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to set it right here, OK?鈥�
鈥淥K,鈥� came the response.
Other volunteers added bottled water and a sweet treat alongside the food container.
The Helping Handzzz team goes through the same process six nights each week taking off Sundays. And it comes after going without food or water from sunrise to sunset.
Wehbi, 27, is a design engineer at Toyota. Sareini demolishes bathrooms and kitchens and rebuilds them as part of his residential remodeling business.
The 25-year-old Dearborn resident said he gladly stays out until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. each day to put some 鈥済ood out into the world.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about appreciating what you have,鈥� he said.
Wehbi said it鈥檚 no coincidence he and his friends undertake their annual effort during Ramadan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a 鈥榥o food, no drink鈥� time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot about growing and coming together as a community and bettering ourselves and bettering each other.鈥�
Mike Householder, The Associated Press
