San Diego Teen’s Eid Project Brings Hope to Children After Mosque Attack

A 17 year old Muslim student in San Diego is drawing national attention for an act of compassion following the deadly attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego earlier this month.

Sarah Abdin launched a community effort to assemble Eid gift bags for elementary school children connected to the Islamic Center of San Diego. The project was created in response to the trauma experienced by many young students following the May 18 attack on the mosque, which left three people dead and deeply impacted families across the community. (ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV)

According to local reporting, Abdin was motivated after learning that a friend's younger sister was among the children present during the attack. She explained that if she had experienced such a traumatic event as a child, she would have wanted to feel surrounded by support, care, and community. (ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV)

Abdin organized a fundraiser and began assembling approximately 150 Eid gift bags filled with toys, treats, activities, posters, slime, puzzle sets, and art supplies. Within 48 hours, she raised more than $2,000 to support the effort. Additional donations have continued to come in as community members rallied behind the project. (ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV)

The Shia Muslim Foundation strongly praises Sarah Abdin for her leadership, compassion, and commitment to helping children during a difficult moment for the Muslim community. While acts of violence seek to create fear and trauma, efforts such as this demonstrate the strength, resilience, and humanity that continue to define American Muslim communities.

What makes this story particularly powerful is that it comes from a young Muslim woman who chose action over despair. Rather than allowing tragedy to define the moment, she worked to create joy for children preparing to celebrate Eid al Adha. Her project serves as a reminder that community healing often begins with simple acts of kindness.

The fundraiser page states that the goodie bags are intended to remind the children that they are loved, supported, and surrounded by a caring community. Funds are being used to purchase supplies and prepare the bags for distribution to students connected to the Islamic Center of San Diego. (GoFundMe)

At a time when many Muslim families across the country continue to grapple with concerns about safety, Sarah Abdin's effort stands as an example of the compassion and solidarity that emerge even in the aftermath of tragedy. The Shia Muslim Foundation commends her initiative and hopes her example inspires others to support children and families affected by violence, hatred, and discrimination.

The fundraiser can be found here:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/eid-goodie-bags-islamic-center-sd