Our Contract has been signed!

On Friday October 20, 2015, our group’s coordinators, Susan and Jill, and our group’s treasurer, Geralyn, met with members of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa in order to sign our contract (confirming our relationship with the Diocese as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder), discuss our Settlement Plan and the undertaking and sponsorship assessment.

This contract along with our trust agreements (between the group’s individual financial donors and the Diocese) are now on their way to Winnipeg where they’ll be processed at the ‘matchmaker’s’ office (who liaises with both the UNHCR in Lebanon and Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC)).

David Selzer, Executive Archdeacon of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, reviewed the role of the Anglican Diocese in refugee sponsorships, both currently and historically. Their role has grown considerably since September 2015! Prior to then, it had eleven congregations supporting eighty refugees. Now they have sixteen more congregations involved in sponsorship than previously and Diocese is now helping forty constituent groups! Luckily, there will be three more volunteer support staff coming on board to start helping with this effort at the Diocese.

In addition to the individual financial contributions made by our sponsorship group, we may decide to do further fundraising should the need arise. Canadahelps is an online platform charities accept donations and conduct online fundraising. Donations raised would be deposited directly to the Diocese trust account. Roughly 3% is charged by Canadahelps.

As you have no doubt already seen and heard in news, an announcement is expected Tuesday from Minister John McCallum's office outlining the government's plan around its commitment to accept 25,000 refugees into Canada by year’s end. The Diocese suggested that families who have already been matched with sponsors, as we have been, will be among the first to arrive.

So house-hunting has gone into overdrive as we may very well be welcoming our family to Ottawa in December!

Written by Astra Groskaufmanis with notes from Susan Whitley