Winter Clothing Drive & Fundraiser: Inspiration in Pandemic Times – Younes family welcomed to Canada
Last updated on December 3rd, 2020
We are now collecting gently used winter clothing & boots for our newcomer families. Please contact Marlena in the office for ages and sizes. Anyone with suitable items can drop them off by appointment at the church until the end of November. As an alternative Value Village gift certificates would also be greatly appreciated.
If you have any wonderful ideas how to fund raise for refugees, as or in lieu of our Christmas Bazaar, please share, start planning, get a team together for online fun.
Please let us know if you’d be interested in MLC logo masks and grocery bags. We would like to order these as a fundraiser.
The Younes family of six arrived safely from Kuwait in Toronto on October 28, 2020 where they were met by their wonderful sponsors Mason Hatahet and Riyad Younes. They will initially stay with Riyad Younes du
ring the quarantine period and until they have found affordable accommodation.
Some members of the MLC Refugee Support Team (Karen, Iris, Greg, Anneli) gathered at Riyad’s home to welcome the Younes family to Canada, with gifts. They also played them part of the following inspirational video “Welcome to Canada – Song for Syrian Refugees” — https://youtu.be/zuDlhBpTVsg.
The Younes family used to live in a small city called “Jableh” in north-west Syria. The father was chased by the regime’s secret forces. The regime had already targeted many of his family (cousins, uncles and siblings). So in 2008 the Younes family fled Syria to Kuwait.
Mason Hatahet and Riyad Younes have had to provide approximately $50,000 to sponsor the Younes family for 12 months. The MLC Refugee Support Team will provide non-financial resettlement support with such things as education, language, job training/hunting, furniture, clothing, etc. As we have done in the past MLC will also try to pay for the Younes immigration flights of approximately $7,000.
Please consider making a donation to MLC’s Refugee Support fund at: https://martinluther.ca/make-a-donation/
