St. Mark’s has been involved in refugee sponsorship on an ongoing basis. We were the primary sponsors for a Syrian family in 2016 and a family from Zimbabwe in 2019. We have also partnered with private sponsors for a second Syrian family. We are still waiting for their arrival.
St. Mark’s parishioners were invited to support Ukrainian refugees this spring. Donations were received for World Vision ($650) and donations were also received to support the refugee sponsorship efforts of the Slavic Full Gospel Church in Brantford ($2595). St. Mark’s parishioners also donated furniture, blankets, televisions and other household goods.
Irene, the coordinator of refugee sponsorship at the Slavic Full Gospel Church, tells us that 17 families and five individuals have arrived from Ukraine. Quite a few of these families are large families with three or more children. The church used the money from donations to help pay for travel costs to Canada as well as the initial cost of setting up a home: rent for a month or two, food, transportation. One or more of the adults in most of these families has now found work and so many of the families are close to being self supporting.
Ongoing support is still very much appreciated. There is still a need for financial donations as well as bed linens, especially for single beds, towels and gift cards especially to FreshCo (because of proximity to where people live).
Thanks are extended to St. Mark’s parishioners for their generosity and support.
Mieke Schroeder