On Eid Al-Adha, The Turkish Cultural Center Of Queens Gives Back To Its Neighbors

Capping off this weekend’s Eid al-Adha celebration observed by nearly 2 billion people around the world, a local non-profit is giving back locally. The Turkish Cultural Center of Queens (TCCQ), a member of the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, is making a delivery on Tuesday of high-quality frozen meat to over 100 low-income seniors and families through the Jacob Riis Settlement House in Long Island City.

“The Turkish community strives to give back to those around us, to be active in creating the supportive and neighborly world we all want to live in,” says Veysel Ucan, Executive Director of TCCQ. “Donations of meat to the poor are a tradition that date to the founding of our religion, and we feel blessed and gratified to carry on this generosity today with our Queens neighbors.”

The donation was made possible through collaboration with the TCCQ, Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, and Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris. The Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House, an organization with a long history of building and strengthening underserved communities in Western Queens.

Chris Hanway, Executive Director at the Riis Settlement House, expressed his gratitude for the gesture: “Every day our organization assists families who are dealing with food insecurity and the domino effect can have on a family’s health and stability. This donation is going to make the difference for over 100 families in their ability to put a nutritious meal on their table in this week of the Eid holiday.”

"Queens is a rich diverse community filled with people willing to provide for one another," said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris. "I am pleased to partner with great community organizations to provide food for our needy neighbors." 

Eid al-Adha is the second and more holy of two major holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It commemorates Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) divine test of obedience to God’s will when he was asked to sacrifice his own son, a story common to Islamic, Christian, and Jewish faiths, and also marks the culmination of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj), one of the most important tenets of Islam.

Photos are available here.