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Sheena O’Donoughue knows what it’s like to be an immigrant. When she landed in Newfoundland from Glasgow, Scotland 35 years ago, she experienced culture shock, and the countries are pretty similar.
So what will it be like for the Syrian refugees, she wonders, who have lived through war, and whose language, culture and climate are a world away from Ottawa? “I just can’t imagine these people coming in here, arriving in December to February,” says the Ottawa physiotherapist. The federal government plans to bring in 25,000 refugees from Syria before the end of February.
Like many others, O’Donoughue wants to help any way she can, in person if possible. She’d like to volunteer with women refugees — take them shopping, to doctor’s appointments, help them learn simple things like bus routes or how to dress for winter.
Refugee support organizations in town have a message for Sheena O’Donoughue and others who want to volunteer: Hold tight.
Officials at settlement agencies are scrambling to harness all the offers of help, says Louisa Taylor, spokesperson for Refugee 613, which is co-ordinating Syrian refugee resettlement in Ottawa. “We are going to be calling for volunteers in coming weeks. Right now we are in planning mode.”
It’s the same message at the Catholic Centre for Immigrants, where officials are taking names of people who want to do everything from driving people to appointments to helping the newcomers learn English.
“Thank you for the kind offer,” says deputy executive director Lucila Spigelblatt. “Just put up your hand, and we’ll give you a call” — but not for a few weeks. When refugees begin to arrive, the agency will match volunteers with what needs to be done.
Her agency plans a “friend to friend” program to allow groups of three or four people to band together and befriend a refugee family, helping them adapt to Canada. The friendship groups will target refugees who are sponsored by the federal government, who are given a social-assistance allowance and settlement counselling, but who often don’t have friends here.
It’s not known how many Syrian refugees will come to Ottawa, but leaked documents suggest the initial wave will go mainly to Toronto and Montreal. Of refugee applications in the queue Nov. 19, only 169 were for Ottawa and Gatineau. Many of the early arrivals have been sponsored by private groups, who find them a place to live, cover their expenses and help them out during their first year in Canada.
By January and February, Ottawa should see a wave of government-sponsored refugees arrive. In the meantime, here are a few things people can do to help the Syrian refugees:
Register to volunteer
If you want to volunteer your time or expertise, have a spare room or other lodging, want to donate furniture, household items or clothes, can help with translation, would like to organize a fundraising event, or help out with a group that is sponsoring refugees, register with refugee613.ca and at the Catholic Centre for Immigrants at http://cciottawa.ca/syrian-refugees/ Both have forms online.
Buy a welcome box
A non-profit organization created by two Ottawa-area women is collecting donations to compile “welcome boxes” for refugee children and adults. Each box will contain a winter coat, hat and gloves, basic toiletries like toothpaste, toys and school supplies for the kids. Donors write a personal letter of welcome, which will be translated into Arabic, to tuck into the box. Here’s one written by two brothers who donated a box:
“Dear friend – So happy you are in your new home. Welcome to Canada! We are 2 brothers (age 21 & 16) and we grew up in the U.K., Singapore and Australia and now we live in Canada. We know it’s hard to move away from people you know and love, but you will make new friends and have exciting new adventures!! Stay warm this winter and enjoy! We wish you peace, love and happiness!”
Renée Taylor (left) and her friend Maria Fleming were so moved by the plight of the Syrian refugees that they decided to try to create a warm welcome for them when they arrive.
The boxes are $50 for a child and $75 for an adult. The Welcome Box idea is being adopted in other cities across Canada, and the organization welcomes volunteers, says co-founder Renée Taylor. She and her friend Maria Fleming were so moved by the plight of the refugees that they came up with the idea, and are working with refugee aid organizations. All proceeds go to buying boxes.
Information: welcomebox.ca
Consider sponsoring a refugee, or helping a group that’s already doing so
Community groups, churches and private citizens who form groups of five can sponsor a refugee or a refugee family. Information meetings for people interested in sponsoring are being held on Dec. 2 at Rideauview Community Centre, 4310 Shoreline Drive, at 7:30 p.m.; and Dec. 16 at Fourth Avenue Baptist Church, 109A Fourth Avenue, at 7 p.m.
Information: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/refugee-613-neighbourhood-workshops-sponsorship-101-tickets-19506447309
Cash is always welcome
Refugee 613’s fundraising arm, United for Refugees, is raising money to help sponsor groups and resettlement efforts. You can made a donation directly from their website, which also has a list of refugee support agencies if you’d like to donate directly to them.
Information: refugee613.ca
查看原文...
So what will it be like for the Syrian refugees, she wonders, who have lived through war, and whose language, culture and climate are a world away from Ottawa? “I just can’t imagine these people coming in here, arriving in December to February,” says the Ottawa physiotherapist. The federal government plans to bring in 25,000 refugees from Syria before the end of February.
Like many others, O’Donoughue wants to help any way she can, in person if possible. She’d like to volunteer with women refugees — take them shopping, to doctor’s appointments, help them learn simple things like bus routes or how to dress for winter.
Refugee support organizations in town have a message for Sheena O’Donoughue and others who want to volunteer: Hold tight.
Officials at settlement agencies are scrambling to harness all the offers of help, says Louisa Taylor, spokesperson for Refugee 613, which is co-ordinating Syrian refugee resettlement in Ottawa. “We are going to be calling for volunteers in coming weeks. Right now we are in planning mode.”
It’s the same message at the Catholic Centre for Immigrants, where officials are taking names of people who want to do everything from driving people to appointments to helping the newcomers learn English.
“Thank you for the kind offer,” says deputy executive director Lucila Spigelblatt. “Just put up your hand, and we’ll give you a call” — but not for a few weeks. When refugees begin to arrive, the agency will match volunteers with what needs to be done.
Her agency plans a “friend to friend” program to allow groups of three or four people to band together and befriend a refugee family, helping them adapt to Canada. The friendship groups will target refugees who are sponsored by the federal government, who are given a social-assistance allowance and settlement counselling, but who often don’t have friends here.
It’s not known how many Syrian refugees will come to Ottawa, but leaked documents suggest the initial wave will go mainly to Toronto and Montreal. Of refugee applications in the queue Nov. 19, only 169 were for Ottawa and Gatineau. Many of the early arrivals have been sponsored by private groups, who find them a place to live, cover their expenses and help them out during their first year in Canada.
By January and February, Ottawa should see a wave of government-sponsored refugees arrive. In the meantime, here are a few things people can do to help the Syrian refugees:
Register to volunteer
If you want to volunteer your time or expertise, have a spare room or other lodging, want to donate furniture, household items or clothes, can help with translation, would like to organize a fundraising event, or help out with a group that is sponsoring refugees, register with refugee613.ca and at the Catholic Centre for Immigrants at http://cciottawa.ca/syrian-refugees/ Both have forms online.
Buy a welcome box
A non-profit organization created by two Ottawa-area women is collecting donations to compile “welcome boxes” for refugee children and adults. Each box will contain a winter coat, hat and gloves, basic toiletries like toothpaste, toys and school supplies for the kids. Donors write a personal letter of welcome, which will be translated into Arabic, to tuck into the box. Here’s one written by two brothers who donated a box:
“Dear friend – So happy you are in your new home. Welcome to Canada! We are 2 brothers (age 21 & 16) and we grew up in the U.K., Singapore and Australia and now we live in Canada. We know it’s hard to move away from people you know and love, but you will make new friends and have exciting new adventures!! Stay warm this winter and enjoy! We wish you peace, love and happiness!”
Renée Taylor (left) and her friend Maria Fleming were so moved by the plight of the Syrian refugees that they decided to try to create a warm welcome for them when they arrive.
The boxes are $50 for a child and $75 for an adult. The Welcome Box idea is being adopted in other cities across Canada, and the organization welcomes volunteers, says co-founder Renée Taylor. She and her friend Maria Fleming were so moved by the plight of the refugees that they came up with the idea, and are working with refugee aid organizations. All proceeds go to buying boxes.
Information: welcomebox.ca
Consider sponsoring a refugee, or helping a group that’s already doing so
Community groups, churches and private citizens who form groups of five can sponsor a refugee or a refugee family. Information meetings for people interested in sponsoring are being held on Dec. 2 at Rideauview Community Centre, 4310 Shoreline Drive, at 7:30 p.m.; and Dec. 16 at Fourth Avenue Baptist Church, 109A Fourth Avenue, at 7 p.m.
Information: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/refugee-613-neighbourhood-workshops-sponsorship-101-tickets-19506447309
Cash is always welcome
Refugee 613’s fundraising arm, United for Refugees, is raising money to help sponsor groups and resettlement efforts. You can made a donation directly from their website, which also has a list of refugee support agencies if you’d like to donate directly to them.
Information: refugee613.ca
查看原文...
