Exciting News – A Launch and a Ride

ELEVATE Program Launch Supports Refugees Seeking Employment

We are so proud and excited to share with you the new program we launched this spring – Elevate! Refugee Employment Services (Elevate). This program was designed to provide settlement and employment services to refugee claimants, helping them find and keep employment. Brought to life by a 3-year $627,700 Grow Grant received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the employment program aims to impact 240 refugees over 3 years.

Sam Chaise explained, “The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant is especially profound during this pandemic. Vulnerable populations such as refugees have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and we can now provide them with the supports they need to find gainful employment.”

The program starts with a focus on financial stability and ensuring initial settlement needs are addressed by conducting orientation sessions and workshops, and providing individual needs assessments and services. In-depth employment case management is then provided to clients who are ready to proceed with post-secondary education, mentorship, job training and/or securing employment. When applicable, clients may also be connected with mentorship and job placement programs in Toronto.

We sat down with the program’s Employment Settlement Worker, Megan Wilkinson, to learn more about the program and hear stories about some of the clients it has already impacted. Keep an eye out as we shine a spotlight on these stories over the coming months!

The Countdown is On for RIDE 2021!

The Ride for Refuge is coming up this weekend and our teams are doing amazing!!
This time of year, we like to embrace our competitive sides and encourage you to do the same. We set our fundraising goal at $110,000 as a challenge to top last year and are well on our way there! We are also currently top of the national leaderboard…Wow!

Last year we used the funds you helped raise to upgrade our dining room into a multi-purpose living space. Physical walls came down as the roomwas expanded, and so did emotional walls as it was transformed into a place where families can eat, socialize, engage in activities, and bond.

Now, as Canada’s borders open again, we are experiencing an influx of families arriving in Canada seeking refuge and refugee status. We expect our shelter to be back to operating at full capacity for some time, putting a heightened demand on our programs and resources. So this year the funds raised will be put to use providing shelter and support to some of these families who have been through so much on their journey to Canada.

 

Help Us Welcome Families!

If you’d like to participate, it’s not too late to register and join today!
If you can’t participate but are able to show your support by making a donation, that would mean so much to both our RIDE participants and the refugee families we serve. Every bit counts!

Support one of our incredible teams here: