Since civil war broke out in Syria in March 2011, an estimated nine million people have been displaced from their homes with more than three million fleeing the country altogether. A local group, Syrian Refuge Sponsorship Huntsville (SRS Huntsville), is hoping to sponsor a family to live in our town.
It began, as many initiatives do, with a group of concerned citizens. “A bunch of like-minded individuals got talking about it,” said Brandy Van Gelder, co-chair of the fledgling committee and president of the Rotary Club of Huntsville. “At our initial meeting, 20 people came and we decided (a sponsorship) was worth pursuing when we saw the amount of interest. One of the mandates of the Rotary Club is enhancement of community and support within our town, but we also have an international responsibility and a lot of clubs are asking why aren’t we helping. Some would see us fund our own country, but there are families at risk and it fits our mandate to support worldly causes.”
There are 16 members on the committee, Van Gelder, her co-chair Robin Mautner, and representatives from the community and local churches. After much research on the process and protocol for sponsoring a refugee family, the committee has submitted an application to AURA, a Canadian organization that assists with the sponsorship and resettling of refugees. It’s the first step of many.
“We are really trying to be careful and cautious and answer any concerns that community members have – we aren’t leaving a stone unturned on this committee,” said Van Gelder. “AURA has been working with Canada’s citizenship program; they know the right protocols and screen the families. They have been around for decades to help resettle families and we feel comfortable working with them.”
A representative from AURA will be in Huntsville on December 1 at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity United Church to answer questions from community members. In the meantime, the committee has begun fundraising efforts to generate the $20,000 to $30,000 they estimate will be needed to support the family for the one-year sponsorship commitment. They have already raised several thousand and Van Gelder expects that they’ll be able to raise the remainder.
It’s a big project – it will require a financial and time commitment from the community but we’re overwhelmed by the support we’ve received already.
Brandy van Gelder, co-chair of Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Huntsville
The committee is in the process of setting up a bank account for anyone interested in making a donation. Local groups are also beginning to hold fundraisers. The Muskoka Mindfulness Community is hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, November 14 to coincide with Girlfriends’ Getaway Weekend. They will be selling baked goods and jewellery from Stella & Dot at Sutherland Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
“It’s a year-long commitment but hopefully the family will be here longer. We have a Syrian family here who is willing to help and both Bracebridge and Gravenhurst are looking to sponsor at least one family and that will hopefully provide a bit of a network for the family,” said Van Gelder. “We are hoping to sponsor a family of four or five and there will be lots of ways for the community to help beyond financial donations. If our application is approved, we will need in kind donations like furniture and clothing. We’ll need help finding suitable accommodations, getting the kids introduced to sports, and help them find employment.”
The committee is considering using a crowd-funding site for fundraising as well, and are planning a dinner and silent auction in the new year.
You can follow their progress on Facebook – Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Huntsville.
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