Stratford Welcomes Refugees has raised nearly $15,000 to support those interested in sponsoring vulnerable refugee families to find new lives in the Festival City this year.
Working with the Mennonite Central Committee of Ontario, the funds will be used to support a sponsorship group to settle refugees in Stratford. The refugees come from countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia and Sudan.
“What we’re trying to do is what Stratford Welcomes Refugees did from the beginning – not be the sponsorship group itself but support a group of people who are willing to be sponsors and give them the financial support they need and the expertise we’ve developed over time,” said Geoff Williams, a representative from Stratford Welcomes Refugees, a group of volunteers that initially formed in 2015 to address the Syrian refugee crisis.
Kelly Walker and David Stones, with support of Ray Harsant, donated more than $4,200 from their June Expressions of Love concert at Revival House. Another $4,400 was contributed by the Sanderson Family Trust, and Stratford Welcomes Refugees also received a $5,000 anonymous donation.
Refugee families will receive support to settle from both the federal government and their sponsors. They have been screened and approved by both the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The particular refugees Stratford Welcomes Refugees aims to support arrive through the Blended Visa Office-Referred program.
The program was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic but was recently reinstated in April of this year. Williams said that decision inspired the group to kick start fundraising with the goal of welcoming a family this year.
“It’s a unique program in that it requires the sponsorship group to commit to helping the refugee family for a year or more in a way that integrates them into the community through schooling, employment and ESL,” Williams said.
Since 2015, Stratford sponsorship groups, with the help of community volunteers, the Mennonite Central Committee and Stratford Welcomes Refugees have settled seven families.
“What’s unique is these refugees are highly vulnerable for a variety of reasons. Perhaps medical reasons, perhaps around violence against them or having been in war zones,” Williams explained. “They are identified by United Nations and the Canadian government as refugees that need a level of support above and beyond what typically might be offered. This program is designed to meet their needs.”
According to the organization, it costs about $24,000 to support a family of four refugees for one year. The nearly $15,000 in recent donations gets Stratford Welcomes Refugees more than halfway toward their goal.
“We’re pleasantly surprised … We are close to having enough money that we can support a sponsorship group,” Williams said. “I think its really neat that people are willing to support very needy people coming to Stratford and helping to create a very diverse community and to support people, particularly kids, who would’ve had no future if they weren’t here.”
Those interested in helping vulnerable refugees build new lives in Stratford can donate, form sponsorship groups or volunteer through Stratford Welcomes Refugees. A public information session on becoming sponsors will be held in late September.
“We’d encourage anyone interested in supporting refugees to come,” Williams said. “It’s a very rewarding experience for everybody, for both sponsors and refugees.”
