EDMONTON -- A north Edmonton mosque is opening its doors as part of a larger effort to shelter hundreds of Edmontonians from wind chills forecasted around -50 C Sunday night.
“We’re trying to make the lives of our most vulnerable neighbours better,” Noor Al-henedy with the Al Rashid Mosque said.
Al Rashid has partnered with the City of Edmonton, Mustard Seed, Trinity Lutheran Church and others to provide more than 400 warm beds during the cold snap.
An extreme cold alert was issued by Environment Canada Sunday, warning of wind chills between -40 and -55 C across most of Alberta.
Al Rashid volunteers will keep their 72 bed shelter open until it warms up.
“They will have a safe space to stay. They will have a warm meal to eat, companionship, coffee and snacks and whatnot. Whatever they need. We have blankets, we have some clothes as well,” Al-henedy said.
“It means a lot to us. It’s part of our religion to give back and it’s part of our belief system,” she added, thanking the 10-15 volunteers who will work overnight.
Al Rashid has offered shelter spaces for three years now. Members were inspired to get involved after hearing about an Edmonton man who died of cold exposure.
