Guest Post by Yosé Cormier, Red Cross blogger
By the time you finish reading this blog post, approximately 100 people will have been forced to flee their homes because of war, famine or a natural disaster. June 20th marks World Refugee Day, and this year’s theme is '1 family torn apart by war is too many'.According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are more than 50 million people worldwide who are now forcibly displaced as a result of conflict and persecution. That’s more than the Canadian population!
At the Canadian Red Cross, programs like First Contact in Vancouver and Toronto, as well as Restoring Family Links, make a difference in the lives of refugees who face multiple barriers in navigating the refugee
determination system and settling in their new country. This includes language and financial constraints, and lack of familiarity with government agencies, service providers, the transportation system and geography. Refugee claimants seek the Red Cross because they are often familiar with it from their country of origin.The First Contact programs provides refugee claimants with emergency assistance, information on how to find affordable housing, process a refugee claim, secure employment, as well as how to apply for legal aid or social assistance. Giving the right information at the right time to refugee claimants greatly improves their chances of integration and helps them make a smoother transition to a new life in Canada.
Run primarily by volunteers, the Restoring Family Links program helps track separated family members and allows them to communicate through Red Cross messages. Every year, family members are reunited thanks to this service.
Want to learn more about these programs? This week, Red Cross staff and volunteers from across Canada will be participating in various events on and around World Refugee Day, including:
- Vancouver: June 20, Vancouver Public Library 11 am-3 pm
- Vancouver: June 20 Immigrant Services Society of BC Welcome House ground-breaking ceremony, 2610 Victoria Dr. 10 am
- Calgary: June 20 Genesis Centre Saddletowne Library 4pm-9pm
- Ottawa: June 20, City Hall 9am-2pm
- Toronto: June 20, Daniel Spectrum’s Artscape Lounge & Aki Studio, 4pm-10pm
- Montreal: June 21, Esplanade Financière Sun Life du Parc olympique in Montreal from 3-9 pm. www.facebook.com/JMR2014MTL
- Victoria: June 21 1-4 pm University of Victoria
- Halifax: June 21-22 Halifax Multicultural Festival
