Beyond Celebration: How BAYCC’s Eid of Giving Turned Compassion into Action

June 7, 2025

Eid al-Adha is often described as the “Festival of Sacrifice,” but on Saturday, June 7, 2025, in a sunny corner of Santa Clara, it became the Festival of Service.

Hosted by BAYCC and Pacifica Institute, the Eid Celebration & Service Fest brought together people from all walks of life—families, students, professionals, children, and elders—to celebrate Eid not just with smiles and sweets, but with sleeves rolled up and hearts open.

I arrived just before lunch, holding a bag filled with canned goods and a pair of gently used jeans. The location buzzed with warmth even before the food arrived. Smells of shared dishes from different cultures mingled in the air, but the real magic started when we all sat together—strangers at first, neighbors by the end of the meal.

A Joyful Noise: Children at the Heart of Eid

By 1:30, the room transformed as the children took center stage. There were tiny paper sheep, colorful Eid crafts, and the unmistakable sound of laughter. One little girl tugged on my sleeve and said, “I gave away my favorite pants to someone who might need it more. Is that okay?” I smiled and nodded, knowing that this was the exact spirit of the day.

2:00 PM: Action Begins

Then came the heart of the day—service in motion.

We formed assembly lines for care kits filled with hygiene items and warm messages. Some volunteers packed food relief boxes with precision that would impress any logistics team. Others sorted denim into neat piles, labeling them for delivery to shelters.

I worked beside a retired teacher, a high school sophomore, and a mother with her toddler strapped to her back. At one point, I asked the teacher what brought her here. She said, “Faith means little if it doesn’t show up in your hands.”

That stayed with me.

More Than a Fest, It Was a Mirror

Eid of Giving didn’t just bring us together—it reflected what we’re capable of when we serve as one. Across faiths, cultures, languages, and ages, we all chose to show up—not just to commemorate, but to contribute.

By the end of the day, we had:

Assembled 250 hygiene kits
15 duffle bags were packed for children attending summer camps
Around 50 pairs of jeans for donation
Watched countless small hands learn what it means to give

A Lesson in Living Eid

Eid is about sacrifice, yes—but not just in the form of livestock or fasting. It’s about sacrificing comfort for connection, convenience for compassion, and isolation for community.

This Service Day reminded me that giving isn’t always about money or grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s in the way you tape a box closed with care, or the way you high-five a 6-year-old who just packed their first care kit.