People continue to answer the call to give what they can to help Syrian refugees. The newcomers are arriving in New Brunswick on a steady basis.
A supplies drive is being hosted by the City of Moncton this weekend where donations of household items of all kinds are being accepted.
“The best way to explain it I guess would be to say look back at when you first moved in to your house or your apartment. All the things that you needed are things that we are looking for,” said Isabelle Leblanc, communications director with the city. She says these kinds of items are in short supply.
“When you welcome so many families – and these are large families – you need anything from sofas to chairs to cutlery to can openers.”
No specific goal has been set as to the amount of merchandise the city hopes to collect over the weekend, but judging from the generosity on Saturday, it looks to be substantial. The drive continues Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Moncton’s Ryan Carpenter was among those making a donation with his two daughters.
“It takes a community for sure,” Carpenter said. “It’s been an overwhelming response and people have really come out in full force. It’s been wonderful to see.”
Carpenter’s family also volunteers in the Syrian welcome movement and says life-long friends have been made.
“It’s been quite the experience for us you know. It’s great for my kids to be part of this, but it’s been unbelievable. Glad to help.”
Meanwhile, in Saint John, the Muslim Association of New Brunswick hosted an event Saturday and planned a pot luck Sunday for Syrian refugees.
“It’s something that we wanted to do especially where many of these people are our brothers and sisters in terms of being Muslim,” organizer Ansar Hassan said. “We wanted to do something to welcome them. This would exactly where we would expect for them to come and feel a part of a community as well as a place of worship.”
New Brunswick is expected to bring in as many as 1,500 Syrian refugees over the coming months.
Comments