NEWS RELEASE
TIMMINS REFUGEE SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE
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TIMMINS - The Timmins Refugee Sponsorship Committee (TRSC) has received notification that a family of refugees from Syria will be arriving in Timmins sometime this month. More than a year has passed since the TRSC applied to sponsor a refugee family. A family of five Syrian refugees, including three children, will soon be calling the City with a Heart of Gold home.
“Despite all of the delays we’re incredibly excited to finally meet our family,” says TRSC Chair, Tom Baby. “Our group and the community have been waiting for over a year to resettle a Syrian refugee family. To date, tens of thousands of Syrian refugees have made their way to communities across Canada; Timmins can now proudly say that we’ve played a small part in the midst of the worst humanitarian crisis since the end of the Second World War. This would not be possible without the generous financial, in-kind and volunteer assistance from our community.”
Upon notification, the TRSC immediately secured accommodation and began to furnish an apartment with items generously donated by community members. Volunteers will now switch from planning to executing their settlement plan, which includes every aspect of refugee resettlement from employment, to medical appointments, to training in English as a second language.
“This is where the rubber meets the road. We’ve been preparing for the arrival of a refugee family for a long time and now it’s time to really get to work—and by no means is it going to be easy. Much will depend on the family itself and how much assistance they need or want. Luckily, we have a dedicated group of volunteers and a supportive community behind us to ensure that the family is successfully integrated into the community.”
If anyone is interested in volunteering their time or making further donations, please contact Tom Baby at the Timmins and District Multicultural Centre at 705-269-8622. The group is fairly well-equipped in terms of furniture and housing items, but gift cards, gently used clothing and age-appropriate toys will be received with thanks.
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