When I deliver Friday sermons at mosques in Toronto, I see a diverse congregation—seniors, adults, youth, students, new immigrants, refugees, mothers, daughters, children—all gathered in one place, united by faith and community. Yet, when I step out of the mosques and attend programs and services offered by community service organizations (CSOs) just across the road, I see only a handful of attendees. These are often the “usual suspects,” the regulars who participate in various programs.

Where are the many others I see in the mosque?

This observation raises another critical question: Why are valuable services, designed to meet the community’s needs and supported by government funding, underutilized by those who could benefit the most? The answer lies in two powerful words: trust and mistrust.

Trust is the foundation that congregants rely on when they enter their places of worship. It is rooted in their cultural and spiritual beliefs, and these institutions serve as a familiar anchor in a foreign land. Hence, the places of worship are the first safe and trusted spaces they step into upon arriving in Canada.

Conversely, mistrust often lingers among congregants from experiences in their countries of origin, where non-profit organizations (NGOs) were sometimes viewed with suspicion, shaped by political environments and Western interventions. Deep-seated mistrust can persist for years, creating a significant barrier to accessing the resources that CSOs offer.

How do you fill this wide gap? How do you build bridges between mosques, where the need is evident, and CSOs, where the resources and solutions are available?

My initial efforts to address this challenge included delivering sermons that emphasized the importance of successful integration and the duty to contribute to our adopted land. I encouraged volunteerism as a way of fulfilling our religious obligation to give back to the community. Wearing two hats in the community – one as a fundraising professional in the non-profit sector, and the other as an Imam – I earned trust in both realms, which allowed me to facilitate collaborations that might have otherwise seemed impossible.

One successful initiative involved partnering with a CSO to bring a seniors’ health awareness program to our mosque. The CSO provided funding, resources, and training, while the mosque offered its space and congregation. This partnership marked a significant milestone in our neighborhood. It was likely the first time a female facilitator was permitted to lead a session inside the prayer hall. Despite this progress, deeply ingrained mistrust—rooted in historical traumas where NGOs were seen as agents of the state—lingered.

Another significant challenge was helping CSOs recognize the potential of faith-based institutions to rebuild trust and collaborate effectively to meet the diverse needs of immigrant communities.

True, the challenge of bridging these two entities looked daunting. Then, the pandemic struck, and shared fear and uncertainty brought both sides together in ways we hadn’t seen before. Places of faith and CSOs recognized their complementary roles in supporting the community. Mosques, synagogues, churches, temples, and gurdwaras opened their doors to CSOs, providing spaces for vaccination drives and other essential services. The trust congregants placed in their places of worship extended to the service providers, facilitating a newfound collaboration.

My fellowship with IFYC (now Interfaith America)’s “Alumni Vaccine Network” was instrumental in rallying interfaith partners and CSOs to care for the community. The pandemic underscored the importance of faith and cultural sensitivities in healthcare, and Toronto’s three levels of government began consulting faith leaders in their COVID prevention strategies. I was honored to serve as an interfaith advisor on Toronto’s Mayor’s COVID Task Force and CMCTF (Canadian Muslim Covid Task Force) where medical, religious and community organizations across the country shared knowledge, experiences and resources to develop interventions that addressed the identified needs during the pandemic.

This dramatic shift paved the way for new community collaborations and innovative programming, like a recent dementia prevention workshop for South Asian seniors, which brought together two mosques and four CSOs. Despite the pouring rain on a Saturday morning, over 100 seniors and their caregivers attended the event.

One elderly participant shared his experience: “After losing my wife, I felt isolated and alone. I was worried about losing my memory and independence. This workshop was a true blessing. The facilitators acknowledged our diverse faiths, and I connected with others who share the same concerns. It gave me hope and confidence for the future. This is more than just community support; it’s a sense of belonging.”

A few months ago, I was invited as a panelist to share my community building experience in the “Faith and Welcoming Communities Forum” organized by the Toronto North Local Immigration Partnership (TNLIP). This annual event brings together faith-based organizations and not-for-profit social and human services providers to support newcomers. This year’s theme focused on fostering understanding, dialogue, and unity among diverse faith communities and service providers in assisting refugees and newcomers.

During the forum, I emphasized the complementary roles that places of faith and CSOs play, sharing, “Places of faith are the first place of trust that newcomers step into. That trust needs to be expanded to provide the services they need through the most suitable channels. While places of faith cannot ignore their divine responsibility to humanity, CSOs too cannot overlook the social responsibility entrusted upon them. This is only possible when these two essential components foster a mutual understanding and appreciation for the unique roles they play in a thriving community.”

In this post-COVID era, the groundwork has been laid for deeper collaboration between mosques and CSOs, ensuring that all community members can access the support they need. Together, we can expand trust and create a more inclusive and supportive society.