After Dara Harper’s husband Ken gave a talk titled “Running for Cover: Politics, Justice, and Media in the Syrian Conflict,” in October, she decided she needed to give back. 

Harper teamed up with Arabic professor Manar Shabouk to create The Love Connection, a program in central New York that collects donations from local families and distributes them to Syrian refugees. 

Given the ongoing civil war in Syria, many Syrians have come to Syracuse as refugees. But with the heinous winters, Harper and Shabouk decided to start distributing coats and blankets to local refugees unfamiliar with, and unprepared for, the climate. 

“It’s a unique partnership because I know the people who have stuff to spare and (Shabouk) knows the people who need stuff and she speaks Arabic,” Harper said. “We are filling the gap between arrival and aid.” 

Shabouk connected Elham Abraham, a member of the Mosque of Jesus, Son of Mary, to the group. Abraham provided them with a room in the mosque for storing all the donations, which,  Harper said, were so abundant they “couldn’t distribute the goodness quickly enough.” 

The response from the community has been overwhelming, Harper said. The project’s Facebook page already has 90 members, and that number is growing. Harper said people feel as though they want to be on the right side of history, and have been ready to help. Until the formation of this project, it was difficult to find an easy way to do so. 

Dr. Diane Grimes, an administrator for The Love Connection, believes this project is reliant on the difference between “poverty mentality” and “abundance mentality.”  

“Poverty mentality is when you feel like there’s not enough so you can’t share with everyone. Abundance mentality is when you believe there is enough to help everyone,” she said.  

The general mindset of the project’s participants has leaned significantly to the latter philosophy. 

Harper hopes to expand upon the project. She thinks the positive response has been so abundant, her network can serve more than just one cause.  

“As we grow, if there is a different need, a specific family, et cetera, this is a good group for asking for help. If you someone who needs something, maybe we can ask here first. Professors might have students who need help or students who need community service hours,” Harper said. “The point is, we’re stronger together. We’re a love connection.”

Published on November 8, 2016 at 8:06 pm