Plans are moving forward to bring at least three Syrian refugee families to Squamish.
Three local groups – Garibaldi Group, Circle of Hope and Salam Squamish – and the Squamish United Church are working together to co-sponsor the families.
One family is anticipated to arrive in Squamish within weeks.
The Garibaldi Group, led by Richard MacKellar, is the furthest along in the process.
Before a refugee family arrives, each group has to have a plan in place, have money raised and have accommodation ready, according to MacKellar.
“We have all of those three pieces ready,” he said.
The final touches are being put on MacKellar’s basement suite, which is being transformed into a home for the expected family.
A Syrian family currently in a refugee camp in Turkey has been identified for MacKellar’s group, he said, and is expected in anywhere between three to 16 weeks. The specific details of the family are still not known, MacKellar said, but when the children’s ages are known, for example, the group will be better able to determine what clothing and necessities are needed.
The third group, Salam Squamish, has just been formally approved to work with the church.
Approximately $25,000 to $35,000 is needed per family sponsored, according to Kendra Wood, spokeswoman for Salem Squamish.
The Salem group is also fully funded but is still in need of housing for its family.
“The issue is finding available housing for at least a year in Squamish’s tough rental market,” said Wood. “The finances raised by each group covers basic needs and expenses for a family and is a tight but realistic budget.
“Depending on medical needs, or even optical needs, of the family members, costs could be higher than fundraised.”
The group is hoping a dentist in Squamish will come forward to donate dental services for the refugees, Wood said.
A fourth group in Squamish is in the initial stages of actively looking for donations and volunteers. Check with the Squamish Refugee Response on Facebook for upcoming details.
Each group fills out the reams of government paperwork required and files it to the Squamish United Church, which passes it on to the United Church of Canada, which submits it to the government central processing office in Winnipeg.
“The United Church has always been involved with outreach, helping people around the world,” said Hugh Kerr, chair of the Squamish United Church refugee committee. “Helping Syrian refugees is just sort of an extension of that.”
There is an advantage for the groups to go through the church, Kerr said. The head United Church in Toronto is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH).
“Whoever is applying through them has already been vetted by the United Church and therefore there is less vetting done of the individuals,” Kerr said, adding this somewhat fast-tracks sponsorship of a refugee family.
In addition, the church is able to accept charitable donations, so donors can receive a charitable tax receipt.
Despite the negative reaction some Syrian refugees have received around the world, including in Vancouver where earlier this month refugees were pepper-sprayed, Kerr said he is not concerned about the reception refugees will receive in Squamish.
“There are some people who don’t think it is a good idea [to bring in refugees], but you know, if we all think back, most of us are refugees or our families were refugees. People just need some perspective on that,” he said.
To help any of the groups, go to Squamish Refugee Response on Facebook for updates and lists of what is still needed.
