Students at Edmonton Islamic Academy raised about $2,000 and collected a van full of groceries for the C5 Northgate Food Bank at the academy’s annual Legends Legacy Run. The food bank provides necessities to families in Edmonton through organizations including Boyle Street and Terra Centre. The event is intended to teach students to counter hate with kindness and to take part in their community.

Principal Abraham Abougouche said the fundraiser is also meant to develop leadership and help students understand their role as Edmontonians. “It’s not simply a fundraiser. It’s about developing leadership. It’s about getting students actively involved, getting them to connect … getting them to understand that they have a role to play as Edmontonians,” he said Thursday.

The academy also hopes the event helps students feel more confident responding to Islamophobia and other forms of hate. Abougouche said the school and its students have faced hateful rhetoric, and described service as their response. “We teach them to respond by service, by giving back, by showcasing who we really our, what our school is actually about,” he said. “This is an opportunity for us to showcase the Edmonton Islamic Academy and what we do and what we offer our city.”

Mohamed Elsaghir, executive director of C5, praised the students’ contribution. “It’s absolutely amazing for us to see this. It’s a humbling experience to see the impact it will have on our families, and the amount of dedication that these teachers and students have in supporting the community at large,” he said. Elsaghir called the students’ fundraising an “amazing service” to the organization.

The annual run supports C5 Northgate Food Bank’s work providing necessities to families across the city. CTV News Edmonton’s Sean McClune contributed to the report.

Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.