Fabulous news! Our refugees have passed their interview with the Canadian Embassy and are now just waiting for an appointment with the IOM (International Organization for Migration) which is responsible for flying refugees to their new homes.
For security reasons (and to keep LGBT refugees safe from homophobic attacks by members of their original community who may already be here in Canada), we cannot reveal where our refugees are from nor any details about them here on this blog.
However, if you want to volunteer to help, we have a confidentiality agreement for you to sign which will allow you both to help us with all the many, many details of resettlement and also allow you to know more about the people we are helping.
We've asked about the timeframe and it seems that we're looking at about 6 weeks before this first set of refugees arrives in London.
In addition, we are working with two other groups to bring over other LGBT refugees who have been identified as in need of help. If you would like to volunteer with us or with one of these other groups, please let us know: lgsrlondon@gmail.com.
Monday 25 April 2016
Monday 8 February 2016
Latest News
Hi everyone --
We have great news -- and not so great news.
The great news is that we have exceeded our funding goal, with just over $28,000 right now. Of course, we will be continuing to fundraise as the need for refugee assistance isn't about to go away any time soom -- so stayed tuned for news about various events we are planning.
The not so great news is that, with the funds raised, volunteers standing by, and housing on tap, we have not been able to locate a refugee or refugees. The Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) rely on something called the Blended Visa Office-Referred list, which is issued weekly. For reasons that are unclear, very few LGBT refugees are being identified on this list. This is unfortunate as it means many government-sponsored LGBT refugees are arriving in Toronto with no support in place at all (see the article in our last post), even though there are groups looking to sponsor them. Our SAH, MCC Toronto, has two other groups, besides us, with money and the will to help, yet no opportunity to do so.
The other great news, however, is that we have also been working with the Capital Rainbow Refuge in Ottawa and with the North Star Triangle Project and they have identified two potential couples, one of which we are in touch with by email. That couple is part-way through the application process to come to Canada, so hopefully our next update will contain more positive news about an actual sponsorship underway.
We have great news -- and not so great news.
The great news is that we have exceeded our funding goal, with just over $28,000 right now. Of course, we will be continuing to fundraise as the need for refugee assistance isn't about to go away any time soom -- so stayed tuned for news about various events we are planning.
The not so great news is that, with the funds raised, volunteers standing by, and housing on tap, we have not been able to locate a refugee or refugees. The Sponsorship Agreement Holders (SAHs) rely on something called the Blended Visa Office-Referred list, which is issued weekly. For reasons that are unclear, very few LGBT refugees are being identified on this list. This is unfortunate as it means many government-sponsored LGBT refugees are arriving in Toronto with no support in place at all (see the article in our last post), even though there are groups looking to sponsor them. Our SAH, MCC Toronto, has two other groups, besides us, with money and the will to help, yet no opportunity to do so.
The other great news, however, is that we have also been working with the Capital Rainbow Refuge in Ottawa and with the North Star Triangle Project and they have identified two potential couples, one of which we are in touch with by email. That couple is part-way through the application process to come to Canada, so hopefully our next update will contain more positive news about an actual sponsorship underway.
Queer Syrian Refugees Lost in System
This is infuriating, especially given the number of groups and organizations wanting to sponsor Syrian and Iraqi LGBT refugees.
http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news-and-ideas/news/queer-syrian-refugees-lost-in-system-in-canada-184977
http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news-and-ideas/news/queer-syrian-refugees-lost-in-system-in-canada-184977
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