About Roncesvalles Refugee Relief (RRR)
We are a group of concerned residents in the Roncesvalles neighbourhood in Toronto’s west end who have come together to form Roncesvalles Refugee Relief. Like many Canadians, we continue to be moved by the ongoing refugee crisis and the danger and devastation faced by many families fleeing Syria and other parts of the globe. We want to do something to help.
Our group is made up of neighbours and friends, joined by the desire to take action in our community. While we are a non-faith based group, we have come under the umbrella of Roncesvalles United Church and the United Church of Canada, which have considerable experience working with refugees.
With the funds we raised in 2016, we sponsored two Syrian families, living in UAE and Jordan, having fled their homeland. Both families arrived in Canada in July and September 2018! We sponsored a third family of 14 also originally from Syria. An Hazara family fleeing from Afghanistan to Pakistan and then several years in Indonesia arrived in Toronto in November of 2022. A second family, following the same arduous route should safely arrive in Toronto in mid-2024.
We have also been busy supporting newly arrived Government Assisted Refugees from Syria, Nigeria and Angola. We have collected well over 200 bicycles and an almost equal number of sewing machines from across Toronto and distributed them to refugees from Scarborough to Mississauga. We held a Winter Clothing Drive, and provided everything 'winter related' to more than 55 families. We have helped find housing and employment, assisted with resumes, provided furniture and household items, and taught English.
RRR is very excited to be doing two joint sponsorships with a refugee group in Australia. Through the Australians we have been introduced to two Hazara families, originally from Afghanistan and now in Indonesia. One family is a mother and five daughters and the other four orphaned young adults and teens. Both families will be coming to Canada thanks to our exemplary refugee policies.
The two families first sponsored by RRR had to leave loved ones behind when they came to Canada. The newcomers have been successful in their resettlement. So much so that they have asked that RRR sponsor struggling families members now displaced to Jordan, Sudan, UAE and Lebanon. That is the focus of our current campaign.
Roncesvalles Refugee Relief members include:
[update list and contact info as needed]
Joanne Green, co-chair Doug Bennet
Barb Willitts, co-chair Balquis Zaman
Lynda Perry Dirk Leemans
Murray Green Maria Antonietta Smith
Bruce Galloway Omar Khan
Stephen Abram Stephanie Smith Abram
Charlotte Nissenbaum Peter Nissenbaum
Janice Keefer Michael Keefer
Heather Reid Patti Hamilton
Ray Van Eenooghe Sadia Zaman
Luc De Nil Lieve De Nil
Garry Beirne Anne Serazin
Eva Stachiak Lisa Randall
Cyril Almey Jan Killey
Veronica Feihl Erin McCaughan
Maure Kentner
Ron Kentner
Kathryn Zaleski-Cox
Kathleen Jonathan
Dan Rafferty
Lisa Zaretsky
Mahsun Sadin
Contact Us
This website is: http://www.RoncyRefugeeRelief.org
'Roncy' is a local abbreviation for 'Roncesvalles'
E-mail: [email protected].
Twitter: @RoncyRefugees https://twitter.com/RoncyRefugees
Our hashtag is #RRRefugees
Join our Facebook Group at: Roncesvalles Refugee https://www.facebook.com/groups/1081836268528498/