The Light House Project honors 3 Muslim students killed in Chapel Hill with food drive

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Thursday marks seven years since three Muslim students were shot and killed in their Chapel Hill home. Deah Barakat, his wife, Yusor Abu-Salha, and her sister Razan were all shot in 2015. Their neighbor Craig Hicks was charged with three counts of felony first degree murder.

Every year since, the Lighthouse Project makes an effort to honor them through giving back to the community with a food drive. This year they are asking for help.

Nadia Khan, executive director of The Lighthouse Project told ABC11 that she calls the three students killed that fatal night seven years ago winners. And when they think about them, they think about the good things they offered the community.

Each year the Lighthouse Project continues its mission to give with a food drive.

This year the interfaith food drive is running the whole month of February.

Donations can be dropped off at several locations listed:

• Al Iman School: 3020 Ligon St, Raleigh, NC 27607

• Islamic Association of Raleigh: 808 Atwater St, Raleigh, NC 27607

• Zakat Foundation: 5410 NC Highway 55 suite AC, Durham, NC 27713

• Cary Mosque: 1076 W Chatham St, Cary, NC 27513

• An Noor: 808 Atwater Street, Raleigh, NC 27607

• Triangle Family Dentistry: all seven locations

• Boy Scouts Troop 226: 100 S Hughes St, Apex, NC 27502

• Casablanca Market: 1365 SE Maynard Rd, Cary, NC 27511

• Providence Place Neighborhood: 1005 Evanwood Lane, Morrisville, NC 27560

• Girl Scouts Troop 226: 100 S Hughes St, Apex, NC 27502

• Cub Scouts Troop 226: 100 S Hughes St, Apex, NC 27502

• MYCC Mosque: 5017 Deah Way, Raleigh, NC 27616

The last day to donate is Feb. 26.

In years past they've been able to provide almost 300,000 meals for The Foodbank.

Khan says each year this day feels somber, which is why they commit to this service each year.

"There's a quote by Martin Luther King that darkness doesn't drive out darkness, only light can do that, and hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that so after the tragedy was a time of darkness and how do we respond to that we didn't wanna respond with hate or darkness we wanted to respond with light," said Khan.