First Line for Syria

Sharing Recipient Stories

2022 Dufferin County Community Grant Recipient
$2,000

Sharing our grant story

First Line for Syria is a private refugee sponsorship group.  We have sponsored 2 Syrian families and have applications submitted for 2 more families.  FLFS now focuses on family reunification as many Syrians living in refugee camps have little to no prospects of ever leaving, let alone seeing family they have been separated from due to war.  We operate under the Sponsorship Agreement Holder The United Church of Canada through the Trinity United Shelburne Primrose Pastoral Charge.

FLFS is responsible for all financial needs and settlement requirements for the family for the first year in Canada.  We also support the newcomers through enrolling in ESL, securing housing, starting school, covering health care needs etc.  FLFS believes that supporting settlement goes beyond meeting these basic needs.  We believe it is part of our role to ensure the family also feels safe and welcome, and a part of their new community.  This happens when newcomers have opportunities to connect in meaningful ways that contribute to an overall sense of belonging and well being.  Making these connections not only benefits the newcomers, but all Dufferin County residents. 

When funds allow, we can go beyond basic needs and are able to enrich the lives of the newcomers by participating in community events or enrolling children into extracurricular activities.  These types of fun opportunities simply did not exist for them while living in a refugee camp. The joy, happiness and gratitude the family expresses at the time shows us that the efforts to connect with the community are valued, wildly important and unfortunately often overlooked when it comes to newcomer settlement.  In 2022 the DC grant funds were specifically used to:

• Enroll 2 children to play on a soccer team during the summer
• Enroll 3 children to play indoor soccer in the fall/winter
• Sign up 5 children in swimming lessons
• Attend the Island Lake Maple Syrup Festival and enjoy pancakes by the fire
• Eat Ice cream cones and buy pumpkins at the Fall Y’all Event at Maple Grove Farm after losing and finding our way in the corn maze
• Send 1 child to experience Mansfield Outdoor Centre

In participating or enrolling in the above activities we contributed to the local economy by supporting small local businesses as well as town recreation programs.  The newcomer family grew to feel more safe and welcomed as they participated in and contributed to the community as a whole.  This naturally also enhances diversity, equity and inclusion as they become more comfortable in their community and connect with new friends and acquaintances in these activities.

Aside from the above activities, FLFS and the family were invited to attend Am Braigh Farm in Mono when they opened up their gardens this past summer to newcomers throughout the season.  The magic that happened while planting seeds and pulling weeds is something everyone in attendance could treasure. 

Refugees and newcomers from around the world, along with sponsorship groups from across Dufferin had the opportunity to gather, learn, grow, feast and connect. Understanding and empathy flowed, connections were made, and the land provided a level of nutrition, independence and food security not possible living in a war zone, under persecution or in refugee camps.  From a simple idea of providing garden space for newcomers an entire network has emerged, with plans to gather over food through the winter, to “growing” the program next year. 

Two of the newcomer participants in the gardening project learned that they had actually lived in the same refugee camp in Jordan, and they developed a new friendship now that they each are settled in our community.  We also saw young teenagers getting the hands dirty in the soil  every week.  They often described the differences between the Syrian and Canadian landscapes as they gardened side by side… both agreeing that Canada and it’s green space is beautiful and the vast landscapes they see provide a sense of freedom. 

These meaningful opportunities for newcomers in our community contribute to a safe and secure settlement overall.  (See the full story from Am Braigh in the autumn edition of In the Hills magazine).

Contributions like the Dufferin County Grant along with local residents willing to open their doors and hearts helps groups like First Line for Syria facilitate a settlement where the benefits reach everyone in the community.  The grant gave us space in the budget to address incredibly important, yet overlooked, aspects of newcomer settlement. It is obviously quite bleak to be living in a 8×20 ft tent for years while raising children with no independent way out.  We can also only imagine how difficult and overwhelming a transition to life in Canada could also be.  FLFS brought the family to Canada and is committed to supporting settlement in a meaningful way, where they are able to really connect with and contribute to their new community.