The Love with Humanity Association is exploring new locations for multicultural outdoor libraries, and community outdoor food banks.
“Community outdoor food banks are our most highlighted project due to the current Alberta situation of rising unemployment. We decided to make some things more easily accessible, especially with respect to necessities like food,” said the Founder and President of Love with Humanity Association, Syed Hassan.
The community outdoor food banks began on Hassan’s front lawn in 2019 and have expanded to seven communities.
“The motto of the food bank is, ‘Take a blessing, leave a blessing,” Hassan said.
Due to increased demand, the Love with Humanity team is seeking more locations in the Calgary and surrounding area to install the community outdoor food banks.
“Our only requirement is for the community to agree to take the responsibility of caring for the outdoor food bank,” Hassan said.
Suitable locations for the community outdoor food bank could be on a resident’s property, or any place where residents in need can easily access the food bank.
“These facilities will be installed as gifts for the communities on the understanding that they will be maintained by the members of the recipient community, and community members will also help volunteers with the installation,” Hassan said.
Residents can utilize the community outdoor food bank 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no registration required.
“We noticed that the food banks seem to have a way of bringing community members together, as they get involved in their care, maintenance, and spreading the word,” Hassan said.
“People can expect from community outdoor food banks service with no questions asked. The food is there for them and is regularly replenished. All we ask is that they not empty the food bank of all the food but leave some food for other community members in need,” he said.
Adding, “The food banks are to help out our community and make it stronger. This is crucial for the present difficulties so many people have been having due to the current Alberta situation, pandemic, and because of rising unemployment, some people need additional food resources.”
The Love with Humanity Association was founded in 2018 and is grassroots, not-for-profit organization with a dedicated team of volunteers.
Since 2018, the team of volunteers has opened 17 multicultural public outdoor libraries, seven community outdoor food banks, delivered food hampers at the doorsteps of individuals in isolation due to COVID-19, dropped off gift hampers to seniors, done birthday celebrations, food drives, winter clothing drives, and arranged seminars with new immigrants to help them with orientation to new life in Canada.
“Our mission is spreading love among people regardless of race, color, religious and ethnic background, together everywhere,” Hassan said.
The Love with Humanity Association was inspired as Hassan faced challenges moving to Canada and wanted to help others in a similar situation.
The Love with Humanity Association team observed new immigrants struggling with transportation and finding books in their own languages.
“As a way to begin addressing these needs, we got the idea to build a multicultural outdoor library, where we could keep different types of books aimed at people who speak different languages,” Hassan said.
“Our initial outdoor multicultural library was very simple we launched the first library on my front lawn. We put the books in small boxes and then put some chairs and coffee tables on our front lawn to allow visitors to browse comfortably and socialize,” he said.
Due to an increased demand, the team is looking for places in the Calgary area and surrounding areas to install additional multicultural outdoor libraries.
“Purpose of the multicultural outdoor library is to keep a variety of books aimed at people who speak different languages, inspire a love of reading, build community, spark creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges and place books in different languages in one place where people can meet and connect with the community in a positive way,” Hassan said.
For more information on the multicultural outdoor library and community outdoor food bank, or to have a community included in the program, email info@lovewithhumanity.com.
“Tell us briefly why you are interested in having your community take part in the program, and who will maintain the facility. The final decisions about the suitable locations will be made after our team survey,” Hassan said.
