Interfaith Clothing Drive collected donations for Syrian refugees

As the fall semester concluded, the Tufts Muslim Student Association (MSA), the University Chaplaincy and Tufts Hillel collected approximately 40 boxes of donations through an Interfaith Clothing Drive for Syrian Refugees. These collected items were sent to NuDay Syria, a non-government organization based in East Hampstead, N.H., according to MSA President, senior Obaid Farooqui. 

Farooqui explained that his motivation behind starting the clothing drive was based on the current international events surrounding Syria.

"Part of what we do as an MSA involves giving back, and given the humanitarian crisis that is continuing in Syria, we felt that it would be a worthy cause," Farooqui said. “We chose to work with NuDay Syria because they are locally based out of New Hampshire and are actively seeking donations for the Syrian crisis."

He noted that NuDay Syria having a network of volunteers working on the ground to get the supplies to the people who need it also helped the cause, as they send containers of clothing, medical supplies, food and hygiene products to Syria through Turkey.

Celene Ibrahim, the Muslim Chaplain, believes that NuDay Syria positively addresses a significant humanitarian issue.

"We see ourselves as part of a global community, and as such, when a massive tragedy is occurring - even if it is a continent away - we cannot be idle," Ibrahim said.

According to Farooqui, the end of the semester is a time when a lot of students are packing their bags for winter vacation. He added that NuDay Syria sent a U-Haul truck to come and collect the donations.

“[As a result], we found the generosity of the Tufts community to be absolutely inspiring,” he said. “We were able to collect about 40 boxes of gently-used and new clothing in total.”

Farooqui said it was MSA’s idea to have an interfaith drive to inspire students across different faith groups to come together for a project.

“We worked with the Tufts Chaplaincy, and they were incredibly helpful in facilitating it all,” Farooqui said. “The Office of Residential Life and Learning was also really supportive in terms of letting us put up boxes and flyers in the dorms, especially so late in the semester.”

According to University Chaplain Reverend Gregory McGonigle, the Chaplaincy’s main form of support for the clothing drive was through publicity and coordination of logistics.

“We did also promote [the clothing drive] at our annual University Chaplaincy Winter Holiday Concert along with a number of other charitable programs being sponsored by particular spiritual communities in the month of December, including the Catholic Community Tufts' Giving Tree and Chabad's Light Up a Life initiative,”McGonigle said.

Given the enthusiastic response of the larger Tufts community and the opportunity to positively affect the international community through initiatives, such as the Interfaith Clothing Drive for Syrian Refugees, MSA hopes to continue organizing charitable efforts in the future, Farooqui said. He noted that MSA will highlight the efforts of a team of volunteers bringing supplies and aid to refugee communities in Calais, France on Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Interfaith Center.

"Our commitment to supporting those who are fleeing violent conflict continues,” Ibrahim said.

Joining MSA and the Chaplaincy to support Syrian refugees and address the humanitarian crisis, Hillel has also worked with both groups before on a range of social justice projects, according to the Neubauer Executive Director at Tufts Hillel, Rabbi Jeffrey Summit. He noted that these groups' interfaith connection is significant to Hillel.

“We have a number of future projects planned with MSA including a joint Shabbat dinner and a program promoting peace and coexistence among Palestinians and Israelis,” Summit said.

McGonigle shared that the Chaplaincy is currently leading another interfaith charitable effort called "Project Got Your Back." Aiming to help displaced children in the local community, this donation drive began on Jan. 21, and will continue running until Feb. 12, according to the University Chaplaincy's website. Donation boxes are located on all three Tufts campuses.

According to University Chaplaincy Program and Outreach Specialist Zachary Cole, students from the Resumed Education for Adult Learning Program (R.E.A.L) started "Project Got Your Back" with the help of the Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Day Planning Committee, in order to support children who are entering the foster care system and may need backpacks and other items as they transition.

“The MLK Planning Committee saw this project as an opportunity to support a student-led initiative and also provide needed assistance for members of our local community,” Cole said.

This is the second year in a row that the MLK Planning Committee has organized and supported a donation drive, according to Cole.

“This has been one way for the committee to introduce people to systemic issues in our community and provide needed assistance,” he said. “It will be up to next year’s planning members to decide on future donation drives and other MLK programming and initiatives, but our various associated chaplaincies and student organizations regularly conduct charitable drives to help to address community needs.”