Meet Hassan: When Your Giving Becomes Someone’s Hope

Give From What You Love

Every act of giving carries a story—and for Hassan; it began with one backpack and the weight of uncertainty.

After arriving in Canada, Hassan and his family were placed in a small hotel room, sharing one space for sleeping, eating, and rebuilding their lives. The food provided wasn’t halal, and most days they survived on bread alone. When Ramadan approached, Hassan’s worry deepened. How would his wife and daughters fast when there was hardly enough to eat?

“I cannot describe the feeling of watching my growing children survive on bread alone,” Hassan shared. “Ramadan was drawing closer, and I felt desperate. I reached out to NZF. When we received warm winter clothes and halal food, my wife and I were overcome with gratitude for Zakat and what it can do for us.”

Hassan’s story is deeply personal, but it is not unusual. Newcomers who have recently arrived in Canada experience poverty at rates far higher than those born here, with recent immigrant families facing a poverty rate of about 16%—nearly two-and-a-half times that of Canadian-born households.[Statistics Canada]  

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Turning Struggle into Mercy

That moment of relief—made possible by local giving—was more than just a delivery of food and clothing. It was the arrival of hope. Because someone chose to give from what they loved, Hassan’s family could focus on prayer, gratitude, and family life, rather than hunger and worry.

When we give locally, we’re not just sharing our wealth; we’re extending care, faith, and belonging. The Qur’an reminds us: “You will never attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love.” (Āl ʿImrān 3:92) Each gift given in this spirit becomes a bridge—turning private blessings into shared mercy within our own communities.

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Giving that Strengthens Community

In a country where many newcomer and Muslim households quietly struggle with food insecurity and the high cost of living, local support becomes a lifeline. Through National Zakat Foundation Canada, your Zakat and Sadaqah reach families like Hassan’s right here at home. These acts of generosity keep newcomers warm, feed the fasting, and give struggling neighbours the stability to pray, work, and plan for a better future.

Each time we give from what we love, we build a stronger and more compassionate Ummah across Canada—one where no family is left behind.

This Ramadan and beyond, give from what you love. Give locally.

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