Click here for the latest updates https://www.stmichaelw.ca/news/refugee-sponsor-update

All sponsorship applications are approved by the Office for Refugees at the Diocese of Hamilton. https://hamiltondiocese.com/offices/refugees/

Typically, St. Michael’s parish partners with local family of the refugees to provide the support necessary for one year after arrival. This includes financial, social, cultural, emotional etc.

Brief History
In 1997, St. Michael’s took on the sponsorship of a young married couple from Bosnia. Their resettlement was such a positive experience for the parish that new sponsorships followed and nineteen other families have been resettled. Most were Syrian and Iraqi refugees from Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan but others came as refugees from Malawi, Malaysia and Qatar.

Of interest:     The annual Spaghetti Supper at St. Michael’s began as a fundraiser for the parish Refugee Fund.

Present Day:
Currently, three applications are in process à a large Rohingya family, originally in Bangladesh, now living in India; a Syrian family of 5 living in Lebanon; an Iraqi woman living in Turkey.

Because of the current pandemic, none of the families have received travel visas to Canada. However, it is anticipated that arrivals later in 2021 are a possibility.

How Can You Help?
If you have the time and interest, please consider becoming a member of the St. Michael Refugee Support Team (RST). Needed are:

• Interpreters – Arabic, Bengali or Rohingya
• Drivers – to take newcomers to appointments, social outings etc.
• Own a truck – to pick up and deliver donations of furniture
• ESL assistants – to help the newcomers improve their language skills and do homework
• Jobs – assist the newcomer in finding appropriate employment when he/she is ready
• Cultural – help with understanding of Canadian culture (money, shopping, holidays, school, seasons, home maintenance etc.)
• Other: finding a family doctor, dentist, optometrist;  social activities; etc.

Contact the parish office for more information.

Financial donations are not needed at this time.

Prayers are always needed. Our refugee families live in hardship. Even if they have adequate housing and food, they struggle with lack of educational opportunity, inability to legally work in their country of asylum, limited access to affordable health care plus feelings of uncertainty and hopelessness.