Muslims Giving Back Feeds The Protestors & Fights For Justice

Zainab Iqbal -
MGB volunteers giving out water and falafel sandwiches. (Photo via Mohamed Bahe, with permission)

BARCLAYS CENTER – Muslims Giving Back (MGB), a non-profit organization whose mission has always been to give back, gave out over 100 sandwiches, cold water bottles, and masks to protestors fighting against police brutality last night.

“We decided we wanted to feed the protesters because they are standing up for justice,” MGB’s co-founder Mohamed Bahe told Bklyner. “It is important to show solidarity with them because it can be me next time with a knee on my neck or my own family member or community member and these are the people that will give a voice to the voiceless.”

For over six years, MGB has been going out to Manhattan to feed the homeless every Friday and Saturday. And in six years, they have not missed one day. When the coronavirus pandemic began and the stay-at-home order was initiated back in March, masjids all over the city shut down to prevent people from getting sick, including the Muslim Community Center (MCC) in Sunset Park. This masjid is where MGB operates from. While the mosque was shut down to congregants, it was open to neighbors who needed help. MCC had converted into a food pantry. But that wasn’t all. During Ramadan, MGB went out to deliver food to the homeless every single night that month. Additionally, they partnered up with other organizations to deliver over 1,000 iftar meals every day during Ramadan. And their work doesn’t just stop there.

Photo via Mohamed Bahe, with permission.

Yesterday, they joined Taheni Mediterranean Grill and gave out over 100 freshly made falafel sandwiches and water bottles to people protesting.

“People were very appreciative and happy to see us and we felt really proud being there supporting them so they can continue to march on,” Bahe said. He told us that MGB will continue going out to these protests as long as they continue to both support their neighbors and to help fight for justice.

“It is extremely important for Muslims to be part of this movement because an attack against any minority is an attack on ALL minorities,” Bahe said. “And if Muslims stay silent on this issue when it comes to police brutality, then we can’t expect others to speak for us.”