Back 2 School Backpack Distribution

For many years, ICNA Relief has been organizing Back 2 School events to provide backpacks and school supplies to the less fortunate. In partnership with 901 Ummah, NABIC, and Masjid As-Salam, Pleasant View School students hosted a Back 2 School backpack distribution at Masjid As-Salam on Saturday, August 14. Each backpack had pencils, pens, markers, crayons, a sharpener, a pencil case, glue sticks, and other necessary supplies. The night before, ICNA Relief coordinators, who joined from Atlanta, GA, and Memphis community members packed the supplies and put them inside the backpacks. The day of the distribution, Pleasant View School students set up tables on Masjid As-Salam’s front porch and organized all the backpacks by color so children and parents could pick whichever backpack they or their children liked.

Masjid As-Salam invited community members to pick up backpacks for their children. Many of these families are refugees or asylum seekers with very little financial resources to support their families. Many of them struggle with paying rent and buying groceries, so Pleasant View School students took the initiative to alleviate one of their burdens: their children’s school supplies.

Parents, children, and families came to pick up their backpacks. The excitement in the children’s eyes and the gratitude in the parents' hearts was a testament to the need for such events. Ibrahim Khalil, a senior at Pleasant View School said about his experience, “I really wanted to help give back to the community that I grew up in, and seeing the kids’ faces light up while receiving their backpacks and supplies really helped me to understand that we must always try to help those who may be less unfortunate.” Pleasant View School students have served and continue to serve the needy community in Memphis, including both Muslims and non-Muslims. Even though the distribution was at a Masjid, there were many non-Muslim families who came. When it comes to serving the needy, there is no difference between Muslim or non-Muslim, American or immigrant. Everyone is important and deserving of our love and care.