VCU news

By Amy Kaloski
University News Services

The Muslim Students' Association of Virginia Commonwealth University raised more than $2,800 for the Central Virginia Food Bank during the annual Ramadan Fast-a-Thon.

Part of a movement to raise thousands of dollars for local food shelters and soup kitchens, the Fast-a-Thon at VCU involved Muslim students, who shared their fasting experience with their non-Muslim peers during Ramadan— the holy month of fasting for Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims fast during the daylight hours and eat small meals at night while visiting with family and friends.

"Hunger affects up to 24.7 million people in the United States alone, and this includes a high proportion of children, proving that hunger is not something that only happens in some faraway land, but is happening right now in our very own cities," said Ali Khan, VCU student and Ramadan Fast-a-Thon chair.

According to Fast-a-Thon organizers, one of the main reasons for fasting during the month of Ramadan is to call attention to those who go hungry every day, not as an exercise of religious expression, but as a fact of life.

Prior to the fast, members of MSA encouraged non-Muslim members of the VCU and surrounding communities to fast for one day. For each pledge received, local businesses agreed to donate $2 worth of canned goods to the Central Virginia Food Bank, a local non-profit, emergency food supplier.

In addition, members of MSA hosted a booth on Hunger Awareness Day on the first floor of VCU’s Shafer Court Dining Center, where students were able to swipe their VCU One cards before dining. For every card swiped, local businesses agreed to donate a dollar to the Central Virginia Food Bank. MSA members raised more than $300 from the swipes.

The Fast-a-Thon culminated with a dinner on Nov. 5-- Hunger Awareness Day to break the daylong fast. The dinner, which was provided by local businesses and Muslim families, included a hunger awareness simulation in which only five or six people in the audience received a "real meal", while everyone else received a teaspoon of rice. Eventually, the rest of the participants received the full meal.

"We wanted to increase awareness of the growing problem that hunger is in our global society through this exercise and built-in reflection event,” said Khan.

In two years, the Fast-a-Thon has grown from 30 to 130 participating groups raising thousands of dollars for the cause. For more information, visit http://www.studentorg.vcu.edu/msa/.