Expansion of services opens more doors for refugees in Ottawa “When you’ve already been through so much, it means a lot to know you’re welcome.” When Jimmy arrived in Ottawa in February 2012, the then 21-yearold refugee from Burundi experienced the shock of a new culture. “I had no family members in Canada,” says Jimmy. “Matthew House was my first point of contact in Ottawa.” Relieved by the warm and welcoming environment, volunteers helped him with the overwhelming language barrier and complex immigration process. Jimmy stayed at Matthew House for two and a half months. After being welcomed into our doors he found a sense of community, which allowed him to gain confidence in his new city.
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“They took us in and showed us love. They made sense of a really complex process,” he says of Matthew House’s dedicated volunteers and staff. “It felt like living in a family home. You had someone to look after you, you felt included as you learned about a new culture and met new people. It really cushions the transition between two lives.” Starting over is never easy. And for the hundreds of refugees who arrive in Ottawa each year, starting over can feel impossible. For the refugees we serve, Matthew House Ottawa is more than just a place to live: it is the promise of a new beginning. To help with these new beginnings, we’re excited to have officially opened the doors of two new transition homes on August 1st.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Google Canada and James Barron to help support this program expansion. “At Matthew House everything we do is about home, community, and dignity,” says Executive Director Allan Reesor-McDowell. “We are confident the expansion of our refugee services program to include transition homes will strengthen our ability to carry out our mission and support more newcomers.”
Sylvie Legary, Abdul Al-Kaf, Doreen Katto, Allan Reesor-McDowell and Lindsay Doyle (Google Canada).
GIVING GUIDE 2022
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