GSJ Refugee Sponsorship Program
Refugee Sponsorship @ GSJ
UPDATE (October 7, 2022):
Ahmadis arrived successfully in Ottawa!
There are still lots of hands on / financial ways to get involved in welcoming the family. Contact Don Hall to get involved.
Glebe St. James United Church has a history of supporting refugees. Between 2015 and 2020 we sponsored eight refugee families from Syria, Iraq, the Congo, Sudan and Liberia in partnership with two other Ottawa churches. The partnership, now largely disbanded, was called "FACES." You can read a story about one of the sponsored families in a recent Glebe Report, six years after their arrival in Ottawa.
The need continues; there are currently 26.4 million refugees worldwide: the highest number ever. Accordingly, Glebe-St. James is re-launching our refugee sponsorship program to continue to provide whatever assistance we can.
Our aim is (1) to bring in a new refugee family this year, and (2) establish a foundation for future sponsorships. We will go through Canada’s Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) stream. BVOR refugees are considered by the UNHCR to be the most vulnerable refugees. BVOR refugee processing times are a few months (instead of years). And thanks to Government cost-sharing, sponsor costs are lower. The cost per four-person family is about $30,000.
The focus right now is raising money. When we are at the threshold for a family, we will submit an application, selecting a needy family from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada “matching list,” which is updated every two weeks. When they arrive the focus will shift to re-settling the family in Ottawa, and help will be needed from welcoming them at the airport to helping with accommodations, health needs, language training, school registration, applying for Government benefits, getting a job, and providing emotional and moral support. We will put out a call for re-settlement help when the time comes.
Meanwhile, you are invited to donate through the “Donate Button” on the church website. This will connect you to PayPal. After typing in your amount, click on "+ Operating, building, refugees, other?" and type in the box REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP. Fill in the remaining fields. You will receive by email (1) a receipt from PayPal, (2) a note from the Church acknowledging your gift to the Refugee Sponsorship Program, and (3) in February 2023 your official tax receipt from the Church for your 2022 income tax return. Other ways to donate are described below.
How to Donate to the GSJ Refugee Sponsorship Program
100% of your donation goes to the refugee family.
Financial administration is provided by Glebe-St. James United Church in Ottawa, and all sponsorship and settlement related work is done by volunteers.
Official tax receipts for the full amount of your donation
will be mailed out by Glebe St. James United Church in February.
Donation and administrative address:
Glebe-St. James United Church,
650 Lyon St. S., Ottawa,
ON, K1S 3Z7.
Jennifer Reid, Church Administrator, is in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Contact her with any questions about your donation: (613) 236-0617 ext. 21, or
[email protected].
Donate by e-transfer. Go into your on-line banking. Add a new payee (or select Glebe-St. James if we are already there). Use the e-mail address: [email protected]. At the bottom of the screen, type "Refugee Sponsorship." Auto deposit is enabled, so you will not need a security question.
Donate by cheque. Cheque should be made payable to Glebe-St. James United Church. Write "Refugee Sponsorship" on the memo line. Drop the cheque through the Glebe-St. James United Church Lyon Street door mail slot, or mail it to Glebe-St. James United Church (click to see mailing address).
Donate through the “Donate Now” button on the church website. This will connect you to PayPal. You can use a credit card when paying through PayPal (you do not need a PayPal account). Watch for the faded grey pencil icon to direct your money. Click on the pencil and type "Refugee Sponsorship."
Donate with cash. Drop off your cash donation with Jennifer Reid, Church Administrator, during her office hours (see above). It is best to call beforehand so that you know she is at her desk. She will write you a receipt.
Donate monthly through pre-authorized remittance (PAR). If not signed up already, you can sign up for PAR at Glebe-St. James United Church by contacting Jennifer Reid, Church Administrator. She will provide you with a form to fill out and request a cancelled cheque, the monthly amount that you wish to donate, and the period of the donation (e.g., 1 year, 2 years, etc.). You can also leave the termination date open. You can cancel your PAR at any time. PAR payments can also be made with a credit card.
Make a donation to the United Way, for example through your organization’s annual United Way drive – and designate it for Glebe-St. James United Church, Refugee Sponsorship. The tax receipt will be issued by the United Way (not by Glebe-St. James).
To find out more, contact Don Hall ([email protected]).
