It’s a big undertaking for anyone, let alone a group of two-dozen girls aged 5 to 14, but as 11-year-old Dana explained, it just seemed like the right thing to do. “A lot of our parents and grandparents were born in the countries where the refugees come from,” she said. “My dad grew up in Syria, but my sister and I have never been able to go there because there’s war. But it’s sadder that the people who were living there now had to leave because it was too dangerous. These are good people, and a lot of them left without anything. They’re safer here, but life is really hard for them. It doesn’t seem right that they shouldn’t get to have a nice Ramadan celebration like we do, so we wanted to do this for them.”

This iftar, as the nightly breaking of the fast during Ramadan is called, wouldn’t be the first time these Girl Scouts have focused on this community. The three troops that originated at a private Islamic school in Anaheim, California—where the book, It’s Ramadan, Curious George is prominently displayed in the principal’s office—have always focused on giving back.

“The refugee population has skyrocketed in the past few years here in Orange County,” said Heba Morsi, one of the troop leaders involved in the event. “The girls have been working with relief organizations to help with monthly food distribution in our area, and they’ve seen how as many as 300 people will line up at five in the morning just to pick up basic items." Aisha Cabrer, co-leader of Dana's troop, which also includes Aisha's daughters Haniya and Yasmeen, added, "Our girls are young, but they can understand that these moms, dads, kids have gone through real hardship. They can see how their dignity has been shaken, and they wanted to do something to welcome these families into the fold and actually get to know them. And when these girls decide to do something, nothing’s going to stop them.”

That can-do attitude permeates the house Dana shares with her little sister, Maya, a Brownie Girl Scout, her mom Ivonne, and her dad, Mazen. There’s a plaque in Dana’s bedroom that reads, “If at first you don’t succeed, fix your ponytail and try again,” but spending even a few minutes with this family makes it clear that optimism and resiliency are simply a part of their DNA.