The Canadian government has committed to receive and resettle 1000 Afghan refugee families (about 5000 individuals) from the refugee camp in Abu Dhabi, including families that the Afghan Church of the GTA are sponsoring and supporting. 25 of those families arrived on September 15 and we need your help!
How can you help?
Churches and groups:
We're looking for churches or groups to commit to "adopting" a refugee family. "Adoption" means being in contact with one refugee family to find out what they might need and gathering donations of furniture, housewares, small and/or large appliances, and other daily home goods, and getting these donations to their new home. It could also mean other practical helps, such as helping them get to appointments and navigating life in Canada, as your church/group is able. It does not mean direct financial support, and does not mean formal sponsorship of the family.
If your church or group can make this commitment:
- - choose one person to be church/group's coordinator and point-of-contact with us and the refugee family
- - have your point-of-contact email us at refugeehelp@afghanchurchgta.ca
- - tell us if you are a church or a group
- - include your church name and location
- - if you are a group, include the coordinator's church name and location, and size of group
and we will try our best to match your church/group to an appropriate family (e.g. by location, size of group compared to size of family). If we can't match you to a family now, we will keep you in mind as more families arrive.
Individuals:
We appreciate that many individuals want to offer support, but due to the large number and varying types of items needed, it is not possible for us to coordinate individual helps and donations of goods. If you are not able to form an adopting group, please consider a financial donation (below) to the refugee help fund where we can use the funds to purchase items as needed.
In 2020, the ACGTA, with a partner church and committee, began the process of sponsoring two persecuted Afghan Christian refugee families to Canada. When Afghanistan fell to Taliban rule in 2021, the committee decided to raise funds to sponsor 20 families to Canada.
It can cost over $10,000 per individual sponsored, so we are looking for faithful believers and churches to partner with us to raise funds to bring these families to safety.
Ways to give
Give one-time or recurring with your credit card through CanadaHelps.
Tax receipt will be issued by CanadaHelps.
Mail a cheque made payable to:
Afghan Church of the GTA
PO Box 5001
RPO SQ1 Shoppers
Mississauga ON
Canada
Please include your address (if not printed on the cheque) for a tax receipt.
Send an email money transfer to:
afghanchurchofgta@gmail.com
Please include your name and address in the notes for a tax receipt.
Contact us at:
afghanchurchofgta@gmail.com
for banking details.
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