A local group known as the Pelham Syrian Refugee Constituent Group (PSRCG) plans to settle two Syrian refugee families in Pelham or the surrounding area. The group is composed of local residents and is working with the United Church of Canada as the Sponsorship Agreement Holder under the Blended Visa Office Referral refugee program.
Under the program, Citizenship and Immigration Canada contributes one-half of the family’s monthly income costs for one year. The group aims to raise $50,000 to cover initial settlement costs (appliances, furniture, etc.) as well as their share of monthly income support. The sponsorship period is for one year from the date of the arrival of the refugee family.
“Our support will be not just financial support, but it will be support in helping them to get health cards, find resources, learn the language, find employment, and find housing,” said Lyn Taylor, co-chair of the group.
A final decision on housing location will not be made until the family has been selected, to ensure their needs are met as best as possible. Every effort will be made to locate the family in Pelham, or as close to Pelham as is feasible.
“The families themselves will have a say in where they locate, and that will depend on their needs,” said Taylor. “We will work with the community and multicultural centres and the refugees themselves to find the best fit.”
The goal, says Taylor, is to ease the transition into Canadian life and provide the family with the tools to become healthy, productive residents.
“The most important thing is that we settle them properly; that they have the proper support. We want to give them the assistance they need to become good citizens and happy citizens.
When asked about security risks, Taylor noted that there was a stringent vetting process: “The families are well vetted. They are vetted by the United Nations and by Immigration Canada. There is lots of documentation that goes along with that.”
Rev. Dr. Garry van Bruchem of Fonthill United, one of several local Churches involved with the process, is very pleased by the quick and positive response from residents. He sees it as a Christian duty to aid the refugee families.
“We believe the God of the Bible is a God who wants justice for all people,” he said. “That means that everyone should have enough of what they need: enough to eat, a place to live, a place in the community. And I hear God’s calling us to provide that place for people who don’t have it.”
Donations will be received by the Royal Bank of Canada in Fenwick and Fonthill. Cheques should be payable to Fonthill United Church, memo: Pelham Syrian Refugee Constituent Group or simply PSRCG. Cheques can also be mailed to Fonthill United Church, Box 926, Fonthill ON L0S 1E0. Donations can also be made through Canada Helps at www.fonthillunited.com. Canada Helps receives 3.9% of the donation for administration costs; the remaining 96.1% goes to the cost of sponsoring the refugee families.
Members of the churches represented in the PSRCG, (Bethany Christian Reformed Church, Fenwick United Church, Fonthill United Church, and Pelham Community Church), are encouraged to make their donations through their church and each church will issue their own income tax receipts.
