Niagara Regional Chair Presents $25,000 for Syrian Refugee Resettlement to Mennonite Central Committee

• “We are grateful for the generosity of the Niagara community, and deeply moved by their welcoming of refugees to their region.” – Rick Cober Bauman, Executive Director of MCC Ontario

News from Niagara, Ontario’s Regional Government

December 17^th, 2015

Niagara Region – This December 17^th, Niagara Regional Chair Alan Caslin presented $25,000 to Mennonite Central Committee Ontario for the

From left to right at funding presentation, St. Catharines Regional Councillor Bruce Timms, Mayor of Pelham Dave Augustyn, Niagara Regional Chair Alan Caslin, Mennonite Central Committee Refugee Program Coordinator Moses Moini, Mennonite Central Committee Executive Director Rick Cober Bauman

resettlement of Syrian Refugees in Niagara.

This donation follows the unprecedented outpouring of support from Niagara residents, who raised the same amount now being matched by the Region.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the Niagara community, and deeply moved by their welcoming of refugees to their region,” said Rick Cober Bauman, Executive Director of MCC Ontario. “Collaboration of this kind makes an incredible difference, and inspires communities and municipalities across the province to play such a part in responding to the flight of Syrian refugees.

In Niagara, there are three refugee families arriving before the end of the year, with five groups currently waiting to be matched with refugee families.

Niagara Region’s Housing and Public Health staff are playing a key role in supporting the City of Hamilton as one of six Refugee Assistance Program sites in Ontario. Many other groups are in active dialogue with MCC regarding sponsorship. 10, 000 refugees are expected to arrive in Canada over the coming weeks, with up to 60,000 refugees being welcomed to Canada by the end of 2016 in an incredible demonstration of support for those in need.

“Niagara Region is proud to welcome refugees,” added Regional Chair Alan Caslin. “Our community continues to play a leading role in the compassionate response to Syrian refugees, and it is a testament to our residents, our social sector, and our civic government that this amount was raised so quickly.”

Syria is entering its fifth year of violence. As a result of the ongoing conflict 12.2 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than half of the nation’s population has been displaced. MCC has programmed over $31 million in response to the crisis in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon since February 2012. Iraq was added to the response in June 2014.

Donations can be accepted at http://mcccanada.ca/learn/what/refugees/sponsorship or by calling Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Ontario at 1-800-313-6226

 NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

.