Niles Township High School District 219 partnered with the Niles Township Food Pantry to host a Soup Group event on February 12, 2025. The event brought together community members to raise nearly $800 for the Food Pantry, a nonprofit organization that helps address food insecurity in the community.

The menu for the event included lentil soup and chicken mulligatawny prepared by Niles North parents Nour Akhras and Munazza Khan. They also shared some background about the dishes and discussed the significance of Ramadan, a month of spiritual introspection and community bonding.

Student volunteers from the Niles West Muslim Student Association also participated. Soha Amin, Eshaan Mohammed and Mohammad Bakr helped serve the homemade soups and helped prepare salads and breads provided by Niles Township Government. The students also shared their experiences at school during Ramadan and the challenges of balancing academics, extracurriculars and heightened community commitments during this time.

“This was a heartwarming display of community spirit,” remarked Samina Hussain, D219 Strategic Partnerships Coordinator. “The event helped engage our community and create greater understanding about the upcoming month of Ramadan, a time to focus on giving and strengthening the sense of community and shared responsibility.”

The Soup Group initiative began in the fall of 2024, organizing gatherings to support the Food Pantry’s service to about 6,000 people in the community each month. The Soup Group events help raise funds to address the organization’s current food stock shortage. Food Pantry staff hope the initiative gains traction indicating that to date, the February 12th event has been the most well attended and has raised the most funds. 

For more information about the Niles Township Food Pantry, visit their website.