One Love Blog
Written on: 2023-12-03
By Habeeb
Pepper Pot Fest 2023
Tis the season for delicious food, giving back and diverse celebrations. A beloved Guyanese tradition that is tied to Christmas morning is the savory dish called Pepper Pot. Nothing beats waking up to the aromatic smell of meat cooked in casareep and spices and served with buttery soft plait bread. Guyanese Muslims enjoy this dish using halal meat but the Pepper Pot can also be simmered as a yummy vegan dish for Hindus and others who abstain from meat.
In honour of this unique dish, we are hosting a festival on Friday December 8th from 5pm to 10pm at Canadian Jamaican Association Hall 996 Arrow Rd North York.
Come join us for a wide variety of foods that will tantalize your taste buds! This second annual fundraiser festival aims to bring the community together with a vendors market, musical performances like Chutney singer Vicadi Singh direct from Guyana , Bombay Lemonade famous chef on TikTok, Chef Dev- famous TV chef, Andy Ninvalle performer direct from Holland among others, and grand raffle prizes.
You do NOT want to miss the Pepper Pot competition and the chance to participate in an evening that is sure to create memories for all who attend.
Admission is $20 and among the special guests is the Mr. Mani Singh, Honorary Consul General of Guyana, who will present the trophies to the winning competitors.
The One Love Family Services has been faithfully serving families in the GTA since the Pandemic. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to provide toys AND food to families during the 2023 holiday season. We extend sincere gratitude to all our volunteers, competitors, sponsors, donors and guests for making this unique Canadian-Caribbean Christmas celebration possible.
Thanks to our media partner Tropical TV for making Pepperpot Fest a household name.
Thanks
Habeeb Alli
Executive Director
One Love Family Services
Written on: 2023-07-17
By Habeeb
Curry in de Six was a spicy summer affair
After the pandemic, this curry festival in Toronto proved to be just the right opportunity to get out and vibe with musicians, chefs, community leaders and the beautiful people of the Six!
On Saturday July 15th the inaugural Curry Festival and Duck Curry Competition took place outside the One Love Table food bank at 800 Arrow d Toronto.
There was the chief guest TV celebrity Chef Dev, usually on City Line, who’s sought after recipes have made waves around the world. He judged the five participants of the duck curry competition and the winner was Andrew Ramharak, who cooks for fun.
The other attraction was the various vendors selling spicy curries and famous Guyanese treats throughout the day under tents.
Performers and musicians entertained the crowd of diverse backgrounds like Joel De Connector- calypso monarch, Raz Hyder hip hop sensation, Bhisham ak Mistahsoca the young steel pannist, Hameed Shaq legendary steel pan player, and DJ Vick your favourite Wets Indian spin master, Challisa of Tropical TV and Karan Singh were the emcees.
One love Family Services is a not for profit providing hampers to families in Toronto from diverse backgrounds and an opportunity to seniors to socialise monthly. This time there was a special Humanitarian award presented to Sam Boujie, the founder of Global Funds and Beauty Nut Cosmetics for providing the venue of operation by Directors Juliane Martin, Ali Shaw and Habeeb Alli.
The core volunteers were also presented with certificates of appreciation from Hon MP Rob Oliphant by the Vice-Consul Osafo Scot and the Regional Chaplain of Ontario Michael AbduRasheed Taylor. Chef Dev stayed back and mingled with the vendors and audience taking pictures and sharing his wisdom in the food industry.
Funds raised will continue to support the food security program and to this special thank you to the hard working vendors, tireless volunteers and committed attendees who made the festival a spicy affair like the curry duck or duck curry!
Amir Quality Foods was the main sponsor with beauty Nuts, Nurani Family, and Berbican Foods.
Why Curry in De Six? After the Pepper Pot festival at Christmas, this was the next obvious cuisine to be featured in Canada and the West Indian diaspora.
Next Up, the Pepper Pot Fest 2023 on Dec 15th.
Thanks
Habeeb Alli
Executive Director
One Love Family Services
Written on: 2022-12-11
By Habeeb & Juliane
Pepper Pot Fest 2022
Tis the season for delicious food, giving back and diverse celebrations. A beloved Guyanese tradition that is tied to Christmas morning is the savory dish called Pepper Pot. Nothing beats waking up to the aromatic smell of meat cooked in casareep and spices and served with buttery soft plait bread. Guyanese Muslims enjoy this dish using halal meat but the Pepper Pot can also be simmered as a yummy vegan dish for Hindus and others who abstain from meat.
In honour of this unique dish, we are hosting a festival on Friday December 16th from 5pm to 10 pm at 10 Belfield Rd Etobicoke, ON M9W 1G1. Come join us for a wide variety of foods that will tantalize your taste buds! This inaugural fundraiser festival aims to bring the community together with a vendors market, musical performances and door prizes.
You do NOT want to miss the Pepper Pot competition and the chance to participate in a evening that is sure to create memories for all who attend. Admission is free and among the special guests is the Ms. Grace Joseph, Consul General of Guyana, who will present the trophies to the winning competitors.
The One Love Family Services has been faithfully serving families in the GTA since the Pandemic. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to provide toys AND food to families during the 2022 holiday season. We extend sincere gratitude to all our volunteers, competitors, sponsors, donors and guests for making this unique Canadian-Caribbean Christmas market possible.
Thanks
Habeeb Alli
Executive Director
One Love Family Services
Written on: 2022-10-08
By Habeeb & Juliane
Thanksgiving is the time to be grateful
It’s Fall. The blessed time of year when nature paints beautiful colors on the leaves across Canada.
As Canadians recognize Thanksgiving this weekend and gather with loved ones, One Love Family Services gives pause and reflection towards the struggles of Indigenous peoples and how the Pioneers from Europe engaged with them- we ought to be grateful for living on the Lands of the First Nations.
This weekend is also the celebration of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad – who was sent as mercy to all humanity, some fourteen hundred years ago.
How is this relevant to what we do at the One Love Family Services?
We are gathering funds and mobilizing volunteers to provide halal chickens and turkeys to those in need. Thank you to the generosity of our donors, we have been able to continue meeting needs of our respected clients.
October is a special month, with much to celebrate. It is Women’s History Month in Canada and as such, we are tremendously grateful for the immense contributions women have made towards this venture. We have had invaluable support from strong women who are deeply invested in their communities and making Canada a better place for all.
The month marks the 15th anniversary of Canadian Islamic History Month. As we celebrate the vast contributions of Muslims across the country, we give many thanks for the generous love and support our Muslim community has made to the efforts of One Love Family Services.
I must applaud the giving nature of our wonderful volunteer drivers, packers and directors for always making the time and resources to help make our monthly food drive and seniors’ wellness program a success. Thanks for the clothing drive for the Pakistan flood. Thank you for the hampers and meals for the families this weekend.
Mawlid Nabi is about gratitude for having the guidance of a Universal Prophet, on whom be peace.
One Love is about caring for everyone regardless of background. One Love. One Table. All are welcome.
We extend endless gratitude to YOU for being part of our One Love Family Services.
In the words of Chaplain Juliane Martin– “Even if I won the lottery I would continue serving those incarcerated and continue striving to offer hope for the vulnerable.”
Peace and grace in abundance,
Habeeb & Juliane
Written on: 2022-04-14
By Habeeb & Juliane
Today Abrahamic Faiths observed fasting together
It’s a beautiful occurrence when communities are united in holy traditions. April 2022 is worthy of recognition as Jews are celebrating Passover, Christians are observing Lent and Muslims are observing abstinence in the month of Ramadan!
Despite all three major world religions following the Lunar calendar to some extent, the alignment of these solemn religious holidays is no coincidence. One might consider that this unique concurrence signals a case for unity in the midst of war.
The war in Ukraine continues to rage wild havoc upon millions of children and women; the battle in Palestine continues snatching the lives of Israelis and Palestinians alike and elsewhere religious fanatics kill Muslims and Hindus in India. The sad list of atrocities around the globe is much longer than this article has space to recognize.
During these days, we ought to reflect on the teachings of Father Abraham, the Patriarch of our Faiths. When he hosted the travelling guests in his tent in the scalding Desert his words of wisdom suggested that his successors (Moses, Jesus and Muhammad) should live like three brothers under the same roof. Fasting, despite the different ways of doing it, has the innate property to provide metamorphosis inside ones’ soul and raise empathy whilst being cognizant of mistakes
However, this alone isn’t enough to stop the wars, as we see that cries of hungry orphans have not stopped the Muslim soldiers killing their fellows of Yemen. Christian soldiers of Russia have not stopped shooting their Christian counterparts in Ukraine during Lent. We do not see the end of anti-Semitism or Islamophobia or even homophobia, although this is the season of love and forgiveness.
What we have seen however is that food insecurity is on rise everywhere, including Canada, during the Pandemic. The Abrahamic value of feeding the hungry is transcendent in all the Faiths of the world. One Love Family Services was founded with the vision of providing an opportunity for folks who are of diverse backgrounds to be reminded of their Faith while volunteering, giving and receiving. When you give of your possessions you give something but when you give of yourself you give everything!
Almsgiving with a strong social justice component is potent to bring an end to wars; make poverty history and stop systemic racism. Being charitable and generous during this time of Easter, Ramadan, Passover and Nowrat has the potential to change lives forever. This is because when charity is done with selfless hearts, who put their hands to work on projects that are dear to them, they will show exceptional changes in the world, quicker and bigger. The Christian tradition recognizes today, Maudy Thursday, as the day that Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and the ordinary woman. You do not have to be Christian to see the value in washing away the terrible things that have happened to those who come to our doorsteps- seeking justice, love and forgiveness everyday!
One family that we have served throughout the Pandemic with hampers sponsored by you and delivered by volunteers like yourself, has recently begun helping at the food bank by volunteering. She said God has offered me a job now and before that God had offered me a family- the One Love family!
Peace and grace in abundance,
Habeeb & Juliane