Edmonton Islamic community giving 'home starter kits' to Fort McMurray evacuees

At the Islamic Circle of North America Centre in Edmonton,UmarQasimhands out boxes.

Justmonths ago he was givingthese boxes to Syrian refugees, but now he's packingthem forFortMcMurraywildfireevacuees.

Qasimcalls the boxes a "home starter kit" and said they containplates, bowls, cups, cutting boards, knives, pots and pans, toothbrushes, toothpaste and more.

"They're basic necessities for any person moving to a new place," said Oasim. "Kitchen items and bathroom items. We are packing them up in boxes and giving them to FortMcMurrayevacuees."

Qasimsaidhe got the idea for the starter kits when the Edmonton chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America (INCA) was helping Syrian refugees get on their feet.

The refugees would be staying in hotels,Qasimsaid, and when they would move to apartments they lacked several key items.

"At that time when we were volunteering with them, we realized that when they moved out they didn't have any of this in their homes."

The idea to help those from Fort McMurray came whenhe saw that some of theevacuees were in asimilar situation.

"We thought that this is something that these FortMcMurrayevacuees, when they are moving to new apartments, they could use these."

INCA also put on a barbecueMonday, andQasimsaid he hopes that "it provides them with a little bit of normalcy."

'I don't think it's any place to bring children'

The evacuees are set to make staged returns to their hometown starting June 1, but many don't know what they're returning to.

Patti Golding was one of the evacuees at the INCA event. Shesaid she's planning on returning to the city next week, but not for long.

"Seeing what's there, what's not there and maybe grabbing a few things and then heading back this way for a couple more weeks until there are more services available," she said.

She's worried the community might not be livable right now. It islikely to be far from the home they once had.

"I wouldn't want to live there yet. I think there's a lot of uncertainties," said Golding.

Jennifer Sammswill alsobe returning home to Fort McMurray,but she won't be bringing her two daughters.

"I don't think it's any place to bring children," she said."Most of the city, I'm expecting to see, like, still ash everywhere over everything , like vehicles that people left behind, properties abandoned.

"Like, it's going to be overwhelming."