Source: Islam Online / 01 Mar 2014

Muslim in Ontario’s city of Mississauga have raised $250,000 to support an emergency care program in their city hospital as they held the community’s 4th annual Family Walkathon.

''We’re so humbled to share this initiative with the Mississauga community as we raise funds for our local hospital,'' Abdul Qayyum Mufti, Chair of the Family Walkathon, Mississauga Muslim Community, told South Asian Focus.

''This event started in our city and since then, has now become a national movement.''

The event at which Muslims delivered an amount of $250,000 to the Emergency and Urgent Care Program at Trillium Health Partners capped three years of fundraising work by Mississauga Muslim Community.

The first pledge was made in 2011 when they launched fund raising efforts for a quarter a million dollars to support the area’s hospital.

Over the past three years, the community managed to collect $190,000 as the remaining $60,000 were raised during their 4th annual Family Walkathon.

''We couldn’t be more proud when we get together to make a difference in health care, we too are helping to change our world for the better,'' said Mufti.

''Reaching our goal of $250,000 under five years has been a true honor for us and we know funds from this year are going towards a worthy cause that we’re delighted to be a part of,'' he added.

The theme of this year’s Family Walkathon was ''Our Children, Our Hope''.

''We’re thankful to the Mississauga Muslim Community for hosting another successful event in support of the Emergency and Urgent Care program at Trillium Health Partners,'' said Steve Hoscheit, president & CEO, Trillium Health Partners Foundation.

''Our Emergency Department currently receives more than 250,000 visits each year, the most in the province.''

Muslims make around 2.8 percent of Canada's 32.8 million population, and Islam is the number one non-Christian faith in the country.

A recent survey showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian, and that they are more educated than the general population.