Combating coronavirus: Contributions pour in to fight Covid-19 pandemic together in UAE

A number of places of worship in Abu Dhabi have provided financial and voluntary contributions.

Nearly 9,000 pledges or in-kind services have been received by Abu Dhabi's 'Together We Are Good' programme which allows community contributions to help tackle the health and social challenges of the Covid-19 crisis.
The Authority of Social Contribution's (Ma'an) said on Sunday that it provided a heart-warming insight into Abu Dhabi's sense of community spirit as scores of individuals and organisations have pledged funds or in-kind services.
The authority revealed that since the programme started late in March, it has received a total of 8,870 pledges of funds or in-kind services through its call centre (1920), SMS contribution system (6950), with generous residents doing all they can to give back to Abu Dhabi in the current health and economic situation. The number of meals offered for isolated residents has topped 70,000 - 5,000 meals are being provided every day for people in need.
Ma'an also announced that the hospitality sector has rallied together to provide 1,030 hotel rooms to provide relief for medics and frontline medical workers, paid for by the contributions made to Ma'an's 'Together We Are Good' programme. Millennium Hotels had offered 60 rooms at Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi and Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi Downtown, minutes from Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, to allow front-line medical workers to get some well-deserved rest while on standby for urgent cases coming in.
The 'Together We Are Good' programme is the first project of Ma'an's Social Fund that allows community contributions to help tackle social challenges. The social fund is the official government channel to receive contributions from the community to tackle pressing social challenges. To date, the funds contributed have been used to provide additional relief to the health sector and food packages to those in quarantine.
Contributions from places of worship
A number of places of worship in Abu Dhabi have provided financial and voluntary contributions to the initiative.
"The great solidarity and unity that we see from the places of worship in Abu Dhabi, in the current situation, demonstrates the great efforts of the UAE in making it an attractive environment for all races and religions, emphasizing Abu Dhabi's role in global tolerance," said Sultan Al Mutawa Al Dhaheri, executive director of community engagement and sport sector at the Department of Community Development.
"We value the efforts of everyone who contributed and supported the 'Together We Are Good' programme, which reflects the importance of social responsibility to all communities in different places of worship, and provides opportunities of contribution and cooperation to stand up to the challenges that we face," he added.
Shaji Varghese, spokespersons for the BCA church, said: "In times of crisis, it is imperative that we come together as one community and do everything we can to win this battle against the current health and economic situation. The entire Brethren Christian Assembly is with the nation and we urge all members of our church to make a contribution no matter how big or small it is."
Here is how to contribute to the programme
Those wishing to contribute financially to 'Together We Are Good' initiative can send SMS to 6670 (Dh 1000), 6678 (Dh500), 6683 (Dh100) and 6658 (Dh50). They can also call 8005-MAAN for volunteering and in-kind and financial contributions above Dh1,000 or send messages on WhatsApp on 0543055366. Transfers can also be made via First Abu Dhabi Bank using the IBAN number: AE100351011003988349032. In-kind contributions include equipment, buildings, services, and time as well as expert volunteering efforts.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com