First Contact Mittens and Hat
Arriving in Toronto for the first time can be an overwhelming experience for a refugee claimant, especially in winter. There’s a possibility that amid all the other concerns which brought them to Canada, they may be unprepared for cold weather. When the Canadian Red Cross Peterborough, Haliburton & District Branch had an excess of knitted items from one of their programs, they offered the hats, mittens and scarves to First Contact Ontario to give newcomers from northern Africa, eastern Europe, and the Middle East in the winter of 2014.
Providing warm clothing is only one facet of First Contact Ontario, which launched in 2001. The program offers refugee claimants information critical to their transition into Canadian life, such as processing their claim, finding English language classes and emergency shelter, and help in applying for legal aid and social assistance. Multilingual services include a 24/7 emergency phone line, a drop-in centre, an in-depth resource guide, volunteers and staff to escort clients to appointments, and workshops.
"With a well-informed staff and a helpful volunteer service I processed all my paperwork within one week."
“Being a refugee and newcomer to Canada, I needed all the help I could get, from finding my way around the city of Toronto to processing my paperwork,” noted a client who later became a program volunteer. “With a well-informed staff and a helpful volunteer service I processed all my paperwork within one week. The staff provided me with a package that contained all the office addresses and phone numbers I needed to contact and in some cases the worker called and made the appointments for me.”
“I want to convey my deepest gratitude for the direction and support you provided during my application for refugee status right from the initial stages,” wrote a client who now lives and works in Alberta. “I keep thinking of what would have happened if I didn’t get such helpful advice and direction from you. Words alone can’t express my appreciation for the great work you doing with such passion and professionalism.”
A similar program, First Contact Vancouver, was launched in 2008. There, officers with Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration provide claimants a card with contact information. Over 20 community agencies work as a coalition facilitated by the Red Cross to provide assistance throughout the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
Arriving in Toronto for the first time can be an overwhelming experience for a refugee claimant, especially in winter. There’s a possibility that amid all the other concerns which brought them to Canada, they may be unprepared for cold weather. When the Canadian Red Cross Peterborough, Haliburton & District Branch had an excess of knitted items from one of their programs, they offered the hats, mittens and scarves to First Contact Ontario to give newcomers from northern Africa, eastern Europe, and the Middle East in the winter of 2014.
Providing warm clothing is only one facet of First Contact Ontario, which launched in 2001. The program offers refugee claimants information critical to their transition into Canadian life, such as processing their claim, finding English language classes and emergency shelter, and help in applying for legal aid and social assistance. Multilingual services include a 24/7 emergency phone line, a drop-in centre, an in-depth resource guide, volunteers and staff to escort clients to appointments, and workshops.
"With a well-informed staff and a helpful volunteer service I processed all my paperwork within one week."
“Being a refugee and newcomer to Canada, I needed all the help I could get, from finding my way around the city of Toronto to processing my paperwork,” noted a client who later became a program volunteer. “With a well-informed staff and a helpful volunteer service I processed all my paperwork within one week. The staff provided me with a package that contained all the office addresses and phone numbers I needed to contact and in some cases the worker called and made the appointments for me.”
“I want to convey my deepest gratitude for the direction and support you provided during my application for refugee status right from the initial stages,” wrote a client who now lives and works in Alberta. “I keep thinking of what would have happened if I didn’t get such helpful advice and direction from you. Words alone can’t express my appreciation for the great work you doing with such passion and professionalism.”
A similar program, First Contact Vancouver, was launched in 2008. There, officers with Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration provide claimants a card with contact information. Over 20 community agencies work as a coalition facilitated by the Red Cross to provide assistance throughout the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
