Refugee session inspires King residents

September 16, 2015 · 0 Comments

Bishop George Elliott, Ian McBride, Andrew Reesor-McDowell led a talk in King City about how residents can help during the current Syrian refugee crisis.
By Aladin Jarrah
We have all been shocked and horrified by the news reports of the world’s burgeoning refugee crisis, most recently focused around the situation in Syria that is causing a mass exodus into neighbouring countries and Europe.
Many people want to help, but it can be difficult to know what to do. For all the information that is out there about the crisis, there is precious little about what we, as individuals, can do about it. Some faith-based groups are organized and well on their way to sponsoring families to come to Canada, but for many people who are not attached to a church, mosque, synagogue or temple there are more questions than answers.
Ann Raney is such a person. She is deeply involved in her community but does not belong to a faith group, and found that she didn’t have the information she needed to decide how to help. It occurred to her that there must be many others in the same situation, and she decided to organize an information session at the King City Library to address this. She invited Ian McBride, executive director of AURA (Anglican and United Church Refugee Alliance), retired Anglican Bishop of Simcoe/York George Elliot and Andrew Reesor-McDowell, chair of Welcome The Stranger – GTA, of the MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) to sit on a panel, and invited the citizens of King to come ask questions and learn about what they could do to help.
And show up they did. The small meeting room at the King City Library Raney rented was filled with concerned citizens Friday evening, some novice and some who had sponsored immigrants and refugees in the past. Their enthusiasm and willingness to help their fellow humans was apparent from the start. The discussion ran longer than anticipated, with questions leading to explanations that lead to follow-up questions. Raney nodded with satisfaction at the animated discussion. “Knowledge is good,” she said.
There are two main areas in which help can be given to these desperate people.
Essential as it is, help “on the ground” was not the focus of this meeting. Administered by organizations such as Care, Oxfam, Save the Children and others, this helps people at home get the necessities of life such as food, medicine, shelter and security. This monumental task can be supported by financial donations to any of these organizations, some of which will also accept donations of food, clothing and other necessities.
The focus of this particular meeting was on refugees coming to Canada, and how the citizens of King could help. The panel explained the process whereby the UN, through diplomatic channels, determines which applicants qualify as refugees. As Ian McBride pointed out, the Syrian situation makes almost all of them de facto refugees, in that they almost all qualify under the UN definition. It is once they qualify that the work really starts.
There are several ways the Government of Canada has made it possible for refugees to be sponsored. A group of individuals or a community group can get together to sponsor a family, but the panel members were unanimous in their recommendation that the most efficient path was to work through a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH). There are around 100 such organizations in Canada, all of which are equipped to navigate the political, diplomatic and administrative waters to achieve the ultimate goal. All three organizations represented on the panel are SAHs, and it is important to note that their religious affiliation does not extend to only helping refugees of the same religion. All of these groups are currently working on active refugee cases, and all would gratefully accept donations to advance their work. While processing times are typically 3-4 months, it can take years to get a family in dire need relocated to Canada.
Thinking about the millions in need of help, it can be frustrating for a small group of citizens who feel that they can’t make enough of a difference. Bishop Elliot summed it up: “At times it feels like a spit in the ocean, but it’s everything for the people we help.”
Financial donations to any of the organizations mentioned in this article are tax deductible and are gratefully received. The need is enormous, and any monies given go directly into actively changing the lives of refugees, whether on the ground or in relocation. The best advice is to do your research in selecting a group for donation. Some get “top-up” funding from government organizations, making your dollar go a little further. Others can direct your donation to a specific cause if you so wish. There can be no doubt that all the organizations mentioned here do yeoman’s work and will put your donation to immediate and effective use. There are other ways to help, though.
McBride was quick to point out that political will was a key force. “We are at a critical point in or history as Canadians. We have expertise, we have heart, we are part of the world and we have the desire to help. It seems to me we write to our MPs and tell them this matters.”
Time is also a valuable donation. New-to-Canada families have to acquire documentation, get doctors, drivers licenses, bank accounts, school enrollments, language classes, the list is long. According to Reesor-McDowell, these appointments typically require about 3-4 hours each, and he suggests that half a day is an ideal time commitment to make.
Beyond these, attendees all had their own ideas. Resident Ron Mitchell encouraged others to make lists of things that they could donate. Winter clothing, furniture, toys, appliances – all of these things are needed by refugee families, and whatever is not donated has to be purchased.
The evening provided many answers, but more importantly it brought together a critical mass of like-minded individuals who have the will to make a difference. This fledgling group isn’t quite sure how it’s going to move forward, but move forward it will. If you would like to get involved, an account has been set up to collect names of interested citizens. Email york4refugees@gmail.com and someone will get in touch with you.
In the meantime, there is plenty of useful information available at auraforrefugees.org, mcccanda.ca, care.ca, Oxfam.ca and savethechildren.ca.