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YK Islamic Centre donates hundreds of clothing, hygienic items to community groups

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Zaka-Ullah, left, Nazim Awan, chair of the Islamic Centre of Yellowknife (ICYK), Asif Mirza and Kimberly Gagnon, program coordinator for street outreach at the Yellowknife Women's Society organize the 50 winter warmth kits the ICYK donated to the Women's Society, on Wednesday. Blair McBride/NNSL photo

The Islamic Centre of Yellowknife (ICYK) is proving that the season of giving is in the spirit of all religious traditions, and this month gave out hundreds of winter clothing and hygiene items to communities and organizations in the NWT.

Its winter warmth kits, sent to Yellowknife from Edmonton by Islamic Relief Canada consist of toques, mitts, scarves, thermal socks, blankets and cloth masks, said Nazim Awan, chair of the ICYK. The hygiene packs include chapstick, toothpaste and toothbrushes, sanitary wipes, hair combs and women's and men's deodorant.

Materials for the winter kits were received by members of the ICYK on Friday, and Charles Corothers of Corother's Home Hardware sponsored the shipping from Edmonton.

Zaka-Ullah, left, Nazim Awan, chair of the Islamic Centre of Yellowknife and Asif Mirza unload winter warmth kits at the Yellowknife Women's Society on Wednesday. Blair McBride/NNSL photo
Zaka-Ullah, left, Nazim Awan, chair of the Islamic Centre of Yellowknife and Asif Mirza unload winter warmth kits at the Yellowknife Women's Society on Wednesday. Blair McBride/NNSL photo

“We arranged to bring everything up for them,” Corothers said. “They did all the work. They organized this program for the community. It involved a lot of volunteer work up here. I hope this helped them out. It's fantastic what they're doing. It's quite a program they put together. Just by being a small cog in the wheel is a good feeling.”

The Native Women’s Association of the NWT will receive more than 50 kits, 100 will go to the YWCA, 25 kits were sent to Ulukhaktok through the RCMP toy drive last week, and the rest will be given out to organizations in Dettah, Ndilo and Behchoko

The ICYK The will also deliver kits to directly to people. The Islamic organization began the kit campaign in 2019.