Non-religious groups in Canada sponsoring Syrian refugee families?
October 23, 2015 11:41 AM
I'd like to contribute. I'm a bit uncomfortable giving to religious groups, though they seem to be the ones doing most of the on-the-ground work so far. What are my options?
Are international or otherwise not specifically Canadian groups OK? Here are some different organizations who are helping in different ways.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:36 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:36 PM on October 23, 2015
Are you wishing to join a group which is sponsoring a family? If so, Canada Immigration and Citizenship has a page on their website listing groups which are "Sponsorship Agreement Holders" across the country. Lifeline Syria in Toronto has information aimed at groups who wish to sponsor a refugee family which might be of interest to you. Hope this helps.
posted by strasbourg at 12:45 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by strasbourg at 12:45 PM on October 23, 2015
I assume by sponsoring refugees you mean "helping refugees come to Canada and get settled" not "helping refurgees" a la doctors without borders.
Depending on the nature of your discomfort with religious organizations, you may be able to contribute to the re-settlement of a refugee family more directly, even though that refugee family is being sponsored by a religous group. For example, I know of some friends who are helping to support (in that case with time, not money) a refugee family from Syria. The family is sponsored through the Archdiocese of Toronto but by a family that has nothing to do with the Archdiocese and is not Catholic. So the family ponied up the fees required by the Canadian government and is hosting the family, but the Archdiocese helps them with the paper work to make this happen, since it's not a simple thing. That host-family mostly provides for the refugee family themselves, but they also rally people around them to help out with various things the family needs to get settled.
So, if you could find a family being sponsored and hosted that way, you could probably provide help somewhat directly to them, without having your money go through the church. I'm not sure if that would be enough to address your concerns about religous sponsorship, though.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 12:46 PM on October 23, 2015
Depending on the nature of your discomfort with religious organizations, you may be able to contribute to the re-settlement of a refugee family more directly, even though that refugee family is being sponsored by a religous group. For example, I know of some friends who are helping to support (in that case with time, not money) a refugee family from Syria. The family is sponsored through the Archdiocese of Toronto but by a family that has nothing to do with the Archdiocese and is not Catholic. So the family ponied up the fees required by the Canadian government and is hosting the family, but the Archdiocese helps them with the paper work to make this happen, since it's not a simple thing. That host-family mostly provides for the refugee family themselves, but they also rally people around them to help out with various things the family needs to get settled.
So, if you could find a family being sponsored and hosted that way, you could probably provide help somewhat directly to them, without having your money go through the church. I'm not sure if that would be enough to address your concerns about religous sponsorship, though.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 12:46 PM on October 23, 2015
In Ottawa there is the Refugee Sponsorship Support Program which is in affliation with uOttawa and offers legal support for the sponsorship process. It aslo has listing of lawyers offering support across the country.
posted by Gor-ella at 1:57 PM on October 23, 2015
posted by Gor-ella at 1:57 PM on October 23, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by donaken at 12:31 PM on October 23, 2015