As news of the enduring Syrian tragedy was hitting headlines in early 2016, parishioners from several Comox Valley churches adopted the idea of sponsoring one or more Syrian families, and assisting them in successfully integrating life in the Comox Valley. The Safehaven Refugee Sponsorship Group was born. 

As interest in the Safehaven project increased, so did the number of participating churches. Members of the Living Hope Alliance Church (http://www.livinghopeonline.ca/), the Cumberland United Church, the Comox United Church and St. George’s United Church (http://www.stgeorgesunited.com/) united with a common goal: to raise over $35,000 to cover the basic costs of relocating and supporting family of refugees in their transition to Canada.

After many months of communication and several successful fundraisers, we were pleased to team up with the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA - http://www.icavictoria.org/), which is a sponsorship agreement holder with the federal government. In this capacity, they are pre-approved and experienced in many parts of the resettlement process, including identifying suitable families.

With their help, we are delighted to announced that we have come to a verbal agreement to sponsor a family of seven, consisting of a widowed mother, her parents, and her four children. We know the Comox Valley, as a generous and hospitable community, will rally around them, and support us in our efforts to welcome them to a better future.

Thank you for considering your tax-free donation to Safehaven Refugee Sponsorship Group. We encourage donations online via the CanadaHelps link on this page, as well as at Coastal Community Credit Union, where we have a stand-alone, fully auditable bank account. 

To keep up to date with our progress, events and activities,  you can find our blog here, or “LIKE” our “Safehaven Refugee Sponsorship Group” on Facebook here. 

Yours in faith, joy and hope,Safehaven Refugee Sponsorship Group