Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) has announced a $500,000 contribution from the Welcome Fund for Syrian Refugees (Welcome Fund) to The Winnipeg Foundation.

The Foundation will be making disbursements to local settlement organizations, beginning with the two announced today: Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM), and Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (MIIC), also known as Welcome Place.

The Welcome Fund was seeded by Manulife, and quickly augmented by CN’s historic $5 million donation, as well as by generous support from GM and community organizations.

Established to respond to an urgent gap in accessible and affordable housing, the Welcome Fund provides an important investment in community-driven solutions to support the successful settlement of families recently arrived from Syria and help them transition into suitable permanent housing.

Recent grants to support newcomers: The Winnipeg Foundation is supporting organizations and programs that meet the needs of our newest community members. In addition to the first Welcome Fund grants approved March 17, 2016 ($150,000 to Welcome Place and $75,000 to IRCOM), here are some other recent grants: Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute $15,000 for a community kitchen (bringing total project support to $90,000 since 2014). The community kitchen will provide women and their families with a space to meet and practice English, improve cooking and nutrition skills, and gain insight into Canadian food and lifestyles while respecting religious dietary requirements. Grants drawn from the Community Building, Moffat Family and Cavers Family funds. IRCOM $57,500 to support the High Needs Support Team (HNST), which handles cases requiring intensive mental health supports. This grant facilitated the creation of two new, part-time positions as well as training for the whole HNST. The grant was supported by the Gray Family Fund. Newcomer Employment and Educational Development Services (NEEDS) $34,800 for Homework Club staff. NEEDS’ After-School Youth Program helps youth complete assignments while also providing information on developing study skills, preparing for exams and taking effective notes. Grant drawn from the Moffat Family Fund and the Arthur and Norma Taylor Fund. Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (Welcome Place) $90,000 over two years, plus an additional $60,000 in fundraising matching grants over two years. Funds will support the In-Canada Protection Program for refugee claimants as well as additional settlement services. Grant drawn from The Foundation’s Community Building Funds. Islamic Social Services Association $8,300 for social worker to attend specialized training to support war affected refugees, particularly those of Muslim faith. Grant drawn from The Foundation’s Community Building Funds.

More than 800 refugees from Syria have arrived in Winnipeg in recent months.

To assist settlement and other efforts on the ground, the Welcome Fund is contributing $150,000 to MIIC (Welcome Place), allowing them to provide direct rent support to families and to provide essential household items to the refugees as they transition out of Welcome Place into permanent housing.

Another $75,000 is going to IRCOM to provide complementary supports to families living in their transitional housing facilities.

Other local organizations will receive the remaining funds to be announced by The Winnipeg Foundation in the coming weeks.

“It’s heartwarming to see the private sector and Community Foundations of Canada come together to support the excellent work Welcome Place and the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba are doing,” said Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Hon. John McCallum.

“These funds will help Syrian refugees with housing and will build connections between newcomers and the community to ensure newcomers are able to integrate and thrive in Winnipeg,” McCallum said.

“For the 48 refugee families that will live at IRCOM’s newest transitional housing complex, the generous support of the Welcome Fund means ready access to multilingual, knowledgeable and culturally competent staff,” said Erin Anderson, Director of Programming for IRCOM.

“It means being able to walk down the hall from their new apartment, in an entirely new country, and receive meaningful wrap-around settlement supports and referrals from a familiar face in their first language; settlement supports and referrals that greatly improve their access to health care, daycare, counselling, parenting programs, government benefits and much, much more,” Anderson said.

“We are extremely pleased to receive support from Community Foundations of Canada to formally launch our BED IN A BAG program,” said Rita Chahal, Executive Director, MIIC.

“This program meets such a basic, yet profound need for people to feel secure, and gives them a sense of belonging when they have had to leave everything behind to start a new life in a new country. It is our hope that the love and welcome of Canadians is wrapped in the simplicity of a warm comforter,” said Chahal.

“I’m proud of our community for working hard to ensure Syrian refugees feel welcome upon arrival,” said Winnipeg Mayor, Brian Bowman.

“Citizens, businesses and community organizations have stepped up to assist and the generous funding from the Welcome Fund will be a great complement to the tremendous work already underway,” Bowman said.

“The Winnipeg Foundation is very pleased to play a local leadership role in this extremely important pan-Canadian initiative as we continue building community partnerships to help welcome and accommodate Syrian refugees,” said Richard Frost, CEO of The Winnipeg Foundation.

“Our vision is ‘a Winnipeg where community life flourishes for all’ and we thank CN, Manulife and our local partners for lending their generous support and resources to bring this to reality.” Frost said.

“Shifting refugees from temporary to more permanent homes is the first step in helping people and families to settle into their new lives in Canada,” said Andrew Chunilall, Chief Operating Officer at Community Foundations of Canada.

“We thank CN, Manulife and other participating partners for their support, and invite other organizations to step forward to assist with our continued rollout of the Welcome Fund across the country,” said Chunilall.

“CN has a great history of helping those arriving at our shores settle in places across our great country,” said Mike Cory, Senior Vice President, Western Region.

“We hope our $5 million donation to the Welcome Fund will encourage other Canadian businesses to join in contributing to this urgent cause. As that financial aid reaches organizations across the country, including here in Winnipeg, CN is proud to support refugees with their transition to a better life, filled with the same dreams for their families and children that all Canadians share,” Cory said.

“The arrival of 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada is only one step among many for these new Canadians as they begin the next phase of their lives,” said Marianne Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Canada.

“The Welcome Fund was established to provide housing and job preparedness, which would not happen without the leadership of these great local Winnipeg organizations.”

Community Foundations of Canada is the national network for Canada’s 191 community foundations which help Canadians invest in building strong and resilient places to live, work, and play. Community foundations contribute time, leadership and financial support to initiatives that benefit community most, directing grants and other investments towards everything from shelter, education, and care for those in need, to the arts, environment and recreation. To learn more visit www.communityfoundations.ca.

To learn more about partnership opportunities related to the Welcome Fund, please contact JP Bervoets, Vice President, Partnerships and Public Engagement, at jbervoets@communityfoundations.ca