Source: The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.iftar18oct18,1,6022603.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
On October 18, 2005 The Baltimore Sun reported, "On this evening last week, [members of the Howard County Muslim community] invited teachers and administrators of the Howard County public schools system to join them [for iftar, the meal that breaks the daylight fast during the month of Ramadan]. More than 100 educators packed the room at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, where children who are their students during the day explained to them the tenets of Islam and the meaning of Ramadan... Muslims across the country are using Ramadan, the month in which they believe that God began to reveal the Qur'an to the prophet Muhammad, as an opportunity to reach out to the broader community... The Howard County Muslim Council [was] formed after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to promote a more positive understanding of Islam. Its charitable arm, the Howard County Muslim Foundation, has organized food drives, health fairs and, recently, support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Council members framed the iftar last week as a way to thank the county's educators - and to explain their faith to them."