Welcome Home, a refugee housing facility, was created to meet some of the needs of the 27,000+ refugees from all over the world who settle in Canada each year.
Background: Welcome Home
The Welcome Home Refugee Housing Community was founded in 2004 by Gord Skopnik, Barbara Lehto and Chester Venhuizen in partnership with Ray of Hope and International Teams Canada. They recognized the need to create housing and a compassionate welcome for some of the 27,000 refugees who settle in Canada each year on average.
Since it opened in downtown Kitchener, Welcome Home has hosted 76 refugees from 27 different countries. To qualify, refugees must be "new arrivals" meaning living in Canada for less than 1 year. Residents may stay at Welcome Home for up to one year while they grapple with culture and language differences, find alternate housing and jobs.
The facility boasts 9 one-room apartments with shared kitchen, laundry and lounge plus 2 one-bedroom family apartments. Residents pay rent to our landlord, Ray of Hope, according to the level of support they receive from the government. Sponsored or according to their income. Sponsored refugees receive furniture from the government or from their sponsor whereas the staff maintains an inventory of donated furniture for refugee claimants.
With a volunteer base of about seven churches, Welcome Home organizes projects to help refugees integrate into Canadian society including matching Canadian hosts with new refugee arrivals, ESL tutoring, homework tutoring, a Friday night games night, special outings, and community meals. Residents are invited to attend Bible Studies held at Welcome Home and many choose to participate just out of curiosity because they think of Canada as a Christian country.
International Teams' Involvement
ITCanada, in partnership with Ray of Hope, supports the needs of Welcome Home including staff. Welcome Home is a recipient of the RIDE for Refugees RIDE Partner Grant. In addition, ITCanada interns have served at Welcome Home in the past.
