Mississauga entrepreneur has a campaign to raise funds for families of Iran plane crash victims

Mohamad Fakih, a Mississauga-based philanthropist and entrepreneur, just launched a campaign intended to raise $1,500,000 for the families of the victims of the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 crash that took place in Iran on Jan. 8.

The aircraft, which was carrying 57 Canadian citizens, was struck by an Iranian surface-to-air missile on the same night Iranian forces were firing at US targets in Iraq following the deeply controversial assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.

While Iran has taken responsibility for the deadly incident that claimed 176 lives, it says the plane was shot in error. 

The crash claimed the lives of dozens of Iranian-Canadian citizens, including UTM student Zeynab Asadi Lari. Her brother, Mohammed Asadi Lari, was also killed in the crash.

Fakih, president of Paramount Fine Foods and founder of the Fakih Foundation, has launched the Canada Strong Campaign to collect funds for the victims.

“In the coming days and weeks, the families of the 57 victims from across Canada will face a number of expenses. We are now encouraging Canadians to support the families of the victims by making a donation,” the campaign’s website reads. 

With oversight from Dentons Canada LLP, all donations will flow through the campaign’s supporter, Toronto Foundation.

“Last week Canada witnessed a senseless tragedy that heartbreakingly killed 57 innocent Canadians on Flight PS752,” Fakih wrote on social media. 

“I’m calling on Canadians in this moment of need to support these families with the unexpected expenses that have tragically fallen upon them.” 

Over $90,000 has been raised so far. 

Fakih says 100 per cent of the proceeds will go to help the victims’ families. 

This is not the first time Fakih has volunteered his time or resources to help those affected by unprecedented tragedies. In late 2019, Fakih pledged to help a Syrian family reopen their Toronto restaurant after they shuttered it due to reported death threats. 

In 2017, Fakih announced that Paramount was going to pay for the funerals of six Muslim men who were gunned down in Quebec City’s Sainte-Foy neighbourhood. Fakih also pledged to donate money to help cover the cost of repairs to the mosque. 

The incident is still under investigation. 

To donate, click here.