Applesauce Event in Sacramento
to Help Community
By Zaki Syed
Smiles
on the volunteers’ faces after completion of the
job |
Since the year 2003, Sacramento’s
ISB (Interfaith Service Bureau) has been canning applesauce
for the poor. As people of all faiths headed into the holidays
for the year 2006, the members of Sacramento’s ISB were
determined to keep this tradition alive.
“We provide food for those that are challenged to put
food on the table,” said ISB member Bob Fossgreen. Not
only does canning applesauce help the poor, but it also unites
people from different faiths to work for one common goal:
peace.” This year Pakistani American Association, Muslim
Mosque, Sacramento Area League of Associated Muslims, Masjid
An Noor, West Sacramento Sikh Gurdawara and many other organizations
participated in this worthy cause.
“By getting everybody together to help the community
we can create peace,” said Seicho Asahi of the NC Buddhist
Koyasan Temple.
The interfaith community keeps this tradition alive at the
Bishop Cannery, located on 8401 24th Avenue and 84th St. In
order to can applesauce; it is necessary to make the applesauce.
Inside the cannery, there are barrels of different types of
apples. Using these barrels, volunteers fill up tubs with
apples, trim and place them on a conveyor belt. From there
the trimmed apples go up into a machine, where the apples
are chopped up and heated. The apples are then turned into
sauce and are transferred into kettles where sugar is added.
The machine pours the applesauce into cans; the cans then
come rolling out of a machine as volunteers stack them into
metals tubs. The tubs are then transferred into a tank to
cool the temperature of the applesauce. A week later, volunteers
return to label the cans. They stack the cans on a conveyor
belt, as a machine attaches labels of applesauce. After six
to ten hours of tedious and painstaking work, the applesauce
is packaged and is ready to be sent to numerous homeless shelters
and food closets throughout the city of Sacramento.
 |
ISB
officers and members |
Volunteers
at the conveyor belt |
A
group at the assembly line |
The event attracted people of
many faiths, with Pakistanis and Muslims making a good representation
though they could do better. Omar Chaudry, a Pakistani youth,
said he would like to see more Muslim youth attend events
that help the poor. “I want to show others that Muslims
want to help.” Rizwana Siddiqui of Masjid An Noor echoed
his sentiment, saying that “we must show our unity and
interact with people of all faiths.” She felt that Islam
supports the needy and poor; thus, it is an Islamic duty to
participate in activities that help the poor.
Helping the poor, deprived, underprivileged is a core principle
of Islam. However, the rest of the world does not know that,
which is why it is important for Muslims to partake and contribute
in interfaith events that help the poor.
After 9/11, London bomb blasts, and numerous disasters throughout
the world, interfaith communications for Muslims are no longer
an option. The world is a delicate place, and we all live
in it together. If followers of other religions were to examine
Islam closely they would see that they have more commonalities
than differences with Muslims. However, sources such as the
media continually work to divide us rather than unite us.
That is why it is up to us, everyone one of us, to educate
people about the true meaning of Islam. Remember you can sit
at home all day and watch TV, or you can get up and do something
to help fellow human beings and the Muslim Ummah!
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