Newton siblings launch fundraiser to help the Lebanese Red Cross

NEWTON, Mass. — When a devastating explosion rocked Beirut in early August, a Newton family knew they had to do something quickly to help.

Three siblings took it upon themselves to raise money for their father’s homeland, right from their kitchen.

The effects of the massive explosion, which leveled parts of Beirut, could be felt halfway around the world in Newton.

“To see the pictures of the aftermath of the explosion was crazy. It really looked like a war zone. It was completely flattened and these are like streets we’ve walked before. This is crazy,” said 19-year-old Gibran Mobarak.

Gibran, his 17-year-old sister, Anais, and 13-year-old brother, Diego, felt they had to do something to help Lebanon. It’s their father’s homeland and much of his family still lives there.

“We feel really connected to the country and we wanted to, even though we live in Newton, obviously not in Lebanon, we wanted to show support for a country that is a huge part of our identity that is going through a crisis,” Anais Mobarak said.

So the Mobaraks started Kibbeh Kitchen from their own home. They make all sorts of homemade, authentic Lebanese food that is arranged in platters. They take orders and make deliveries all around the Boston area.

“We cook basically from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. That’s when we’re doing some of the dishes, but a lot of the preparation we do the night before,” Anais Mobarak said.

So far, the Mobarak’s have had more than 100 orders and raised close to $8,000. They said 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Lebanese Red Cross to help with food, medical supplies and housing for those left displaced by the explosion.

“Because we really want to help with the explosion and the impact of the explosion was really big, so we want to help them recover from the explosion,” said Diego Mobarak.

The Mobaraks say their goal is to raise $10,000. They plan to keep making dishes until school starts, then they will likely do pop-up each month to keep raising money.

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