A group planning to bring at least one family of Syrian refugees to Terrace is moving closer to its goal.
The group called Terrace Sponsors Syrian Refugee Families members said it was ready to accept a family or individual before the end of the year, said member Sasa Loggin after a meeting Nov. 10.
One “Group of 5,” a term used by Citizenship and Immigration Canada for registration, has emerged from the members and will be using its own money to sponsor a family of four or five, said Loggin.
“We are looking for more individuals to join and form another Group of 5 to sponsor another family, possibly a single female who may find it harder to survive,” said Loggin. The group had said earlier the cost was expected to be about $20,000 for the first year.
There are two categories to sponsor refugees: government sponsored and private sponsorship. The new federal government has said it wants to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by year’s end.
“This is still a private sponsorship and we depend on the government approval process so we have no idea when the family would be selected and their arrival time,” said Loggin. The Terrace group is working on submitting an application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada to request a refugee profile, said Loggin.
Two events to raise money are in the planning stages for next February and March but no details are being given out yet.
“There is one person who is determined to get a celebrity to come to Terrace, but we also have pretty cool local events we are planning,” said Loggin. Anyone wanting to help support the effort to bring refugees here, can donate money at the Northern Savings Credit Union under the “Refugee Sponsorship Account.”
Terrace Sponsors Syrian Refugee Families group meets again at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Skeena Diversity Centre.