 "Photo: Gabby Ilabaca, special to The Breeze")
 "Photo: Gabby Ilabaca, special to The Breeze")
 "Photo: Gabby Ilabaca, special to The Breeze")
Chaffey's Muslim Student Association Club president Mustafa Eshanzada brought together volunteers for "Tent City Outreach" on March 9. Chaffey students, as well as students from other schools such as Saddleback College in Orange County, Los Osos High School and UC Riverside, provided donations as they visited the homeless in Ontario.
Many of the homeless expressed their gratitude and greeted the students with a sigh of relief for such items as water, evaporated milk, toothpaste, canned foods, clothes, and towels.
As the temperature rose, it was no surprise that water was the first item to run out.
Some students introduced themselves as they went tent-by-tent handing out freshly baked bread. From a distance, a man was overheard shouting, "Thank you for putting bread on my table."
Many tent-city residents shared their stories with the volunteers of how they ended up homeless. Some of the causes were illnesses such as emphysema, The increasing rise in the price of rent, loss of homes and loss of jobs. A volunteer commented on how she could not help but notice how the majority of the homeless appeared to be over the age of 40.
Some of the people did not appear to have been there long because they were still holding on to as many of their possessions as they could. In some cases newer cars were viewed as if somehow some of the homeless just did not belong there. Some surprisingly refused any type of assistance. They were simply content with a visit. One volunteer from Saddleback was overheard asking, "What do you guys need out here, we will be back in a couple weeks."
New changes and restrictions have made future visits more difficult.
Eshanzada said he had planned more visits at the Ontario location, but was advised that volunteers would now be required to get permits, putting their outreach visits on hold and possibly canceled.
"It is our Islamic duty to help those in need, our duty is to help," Eshanzada said. "I just wanted to help."
The MSA's next scheduled event will be "Women's Rights in Islam" on Thursday, April 10 at 5:30 p.m. in Chaffey's staff dining hall.
"Everyone is welcomed," Eshanzada said.
The MSA Club meetings are held on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. in the quad.
Students can contact Mustafa Eshanzada for more information or questions at mustieofaxis@aol.com.
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