For two Saturdays this summer, crowds of Chicago-area residents will line up at a food pantry to get a rarely available and often overlooked staple for many families — halal meat.

       July 31 was the first of two days dedicated to the yearly food drive that brings Muslim families to donate and receive the meat from the Chicago chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America Relief, or ICNA Relief. The second food drive for families in need will be on Aug. 7 at the ICNA Relief Food Pantry in Glendale Heights. Both drives also include a school supplies giveaway for kids in need.

       The donations and subsequent giveaway is a part of observing the Islamic holiday Eid-al-Adha — also known as the “Feast of Sacrifice.”

       Volunteer Safeera Khan assembles bags of groceries to give to families through ICNA Relief at one of the organization's resource centers on July 31, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

       Asma Jarad, communications manager for ICNA Relief, said this is the 13th year for the national event. The group estimates it will distribute around 20,000 pounds of meat.

       “Halal meat is the number one most needed item in food pantries and the one that’s least available,” Jarad said.

       Halal meat is not mass produced like what is typically found in grocery stores, and is more expensive. To be considered halal meat, and permissible for practicing Muslims to eat, it has to come from an animal that has not be abused and is killed in the most humane way possible, with as little pain as possible, Jarad said.

       “For the meat to be permissible for our consumption, it has to go through those steps, and that’s very costly and farmers will not do that. That’s why when you go to a grocery shop, you might find $2.99 pounds of meat versus halal meat, which will be $6.99 or $7.99,” she said.

       Boxes of Halal beef are placed on a table during an ICNA Relief distribution event on July 31, 2021, in Chicago. ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Relief distributed donated Halal beef, groceries, back-to-school supplies, and other items to area residents in celebration of Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday to remember the act of sacrifice. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

       Jarad said most food drives do not cater to Muslim people because regular meat is donated far more often than halal meat, leaving Muslims who are not financially stable unable to consume halal meat.

       Typically as part of Eid-al-Adha, Muslims are asked to get halal meat, keep a third for their family, give a third to friends and donate the final third. But as part of the ICNA Relief drive, families are asked to donate the whole animal to those in need.

       “For Muslims who want to eat halal meat if they’re struggling financially, they’re not going to have a chance to buy meat that’s triple the cost,” she said. “So that’s why for this time of year all Muslims who are financially able are required to do the sacrifice of meat and spread it around to anyone in need.”

       Anyone is welcome at the drive, but Muslims will be given first priority for halal meat, Jarad said. However, she said the nonprofit often has a surplus.

       Non-Muslims also enjoy halal meat, she said, because it is higher quality.

       “We’re not going to turn anyone away, but the point is to make sure that our Muslim families have this meat because non-Muslims can eat any meats,” she said.

       Area residents wait in line to receive food and back-to-school supplies during an ICNA Relief distribution event at one of the organization's resource centers in the 2800 block of West Devon Avenue on July 31, 2021. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

       This food drive also includes a back-to-school drive purely by happenstance; each year the dates to celebrate Eid-al-Adha change according to the lunar calendar, and this year’s dates in late July coincided with ICNA’s yearly back-to-school drive.

       “We’re doing one mega where we invite the community members, our clients, our families, our neighbors to come,” Jarad said. “And at the same time that they’re giving their children back-to-school supplies and getting them ready for school, they’re also receiving the meat. So it’s like a double holiday for them.”

       The second food drive is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ICNA Relief Food Pantry at 1781 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights. Families must be registered for the food drive through icnarelief.org. Learn how to donate to the supply drive at icnarelief.org/back2school/supply-drive/.

       mrush@chicagotribune.com

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