After reading about the flood devastation at a townhouse complex on Ypres Ave. in Windsor, Dr. Maher El Masri had to see the damage for himself.
So, Saturday he drove by the Alix J Sinkavitch townhomes.
"I saw few ladies standing in front of their homes. They were unable to enter the residence because of the smell and the fear of moulding already starting to formulate there," he says. "We had to do something about it."
In his capacity as chair of the Windsor Islamic Council, El Masri got to work raising money to help out the 70 families that live there.
"It reminded me of situations you don't often see here in Canada," says El Masri. "We live in Windsor as one community, one family and when you see someone who is in need, you have to step up to the plate. We need to watch each other's backs."
On behalf of the council, he pledged enough to get each family a $25 gift card from the nearby Metro grocery store.
"Some of the residents told me that this would be their preference because they can walk to that place," he says. "We didn't want to decide. I think a gift card would allow them to decide what they need."
From the community, El Masri had a goal of $3,000, but as of Tuesday afternoon, raised a total of $4,000.
The residents have also received donated school supplies from the WFCU Credit Union.
