TENNESSEE – In a show of support, the Muslim community in Tennessee has come together to load a truck with community donations to help victims of the recent Gatlinburg fires.

“For us Louisvillians, we have kind of a special tradition with Gatlinburg, everybody goes to the Smokies in the summer,” Muhammad Babar, president of Muslim Americans for Compassion (MAC), told Courier-Journal on Thursday, December 8.

“So we put out a call, and quite honestly we did not expect this response. It was very overwhelming.”

Donations included diapers, shoes, clothing, toys and other items bound for the Boys & Girls Club in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Though the donation drive was kicked off on Facebook just a few days ago, organizers estimated that more than 70 people participated with either cash contributions or usable items.

Babar believes the community donations illustrate a larger message of hope in contentious times.

“It may seem like that our nation is divided, it is not. We all are in it together,” he said.

When our time of need comes–whether it’s in Tennessee or if it’s in any other part of our country – we are together irrespective of our race, religion, faith or ethnicity.”