The group of North Shore united churches organizing a drive to assemble welcome kits for Syrian refugees has added some urgently needed items to its donation list: baby diapers and formula.
Operation Fresh Start has been collecting cleaning and hygiene products for the new immigrants. In December, North Shore youth gathered and sorted items to create 49 individual care packages to Syrian refugee families.
Mary-Sue Atkinson of St. David’s United Church in West Vancouver, one of the organizers of the program, said she recently learned that in addition to the other items they’ve been collecting from local residents there was also an urgent need for diapers and baby formula.
Atkinson said that she’s heard that the Syrian families who’ve already arrived in B.C. have been grateful for the care boxes, which included hand-written welcome letters from youth volunteers. The group partnered with Mosaic, a non-profit organization that helps immigrants and refugees settle, to distribute the packages.
The recent influx of government-sponsored refugees has caused organizers to shift their focus, however. Youth continue to write welcome letters but donated goods are now being distributed in bulk through the Muslim Food Bank in Surrey. “The need is so much greater,” said Anna Belluz of First West Vancouver Pathfinders, a project participant.
Drop donations at any of the North Shore’s seven United churches. Info: [email protected] or 604-985-4911.
