The Christian Life Assembly (CLA) in Gibsons is hosting a gala event on Nov. 7 to raise money to sponsor a Syrian refugee family.
Administrator Maria McMullen said that the cost of sponsoring one family for one year is estimated between $25,000 and $27,000.
“At this point one family is what we’re taking on. Our goal is to try and get them into the community on the Sunshine Coast and establish a connection with them,” McMullen said.
The funds raised will go towards transportation, the cost of expediting paperwork like their immigration visas, as well as all the processing fees that are involved. The money also covers the cost of finding housing for the family once they are in Canada.
“You can save on certain aspects, like when the community comes together and helps with the cost of housing,” McMullen said. “You’re looking at what you would normally pay for a family. You’ve got rent, furniture, supplies, food, clothing, schooling, etc.”
The application process goes through Emergency Relief & Development Overseas (ERDO), which is an organization within the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. According to McMullen, ERDO has already begun the process of sponsoring five Syrian families who are right now in Jordan.
McMullen said that ERDO usually places refugee families in areas like Toronto, but there are cases of getting refugees into specific communities. The CLA is in talks with ERDO to get the family placed on the Sunshine Coast.
“They’re just desperate to escape the refugee life at this moment,” McMullen said. “It’s not to say that they are going to stay here forever, but it’s a chance to come, be safe, be educated and take what they need to go back and help others.”
The gala on Nov. 7, titled Dressing Up for a Cause, will feature a sneak peek at the upcoming winter show of Castles in the Snow, produced by Ken Johnson.
Tickets for the gala are available at the CLA website, www.clagibsons.ca.
