“Our desire to help these refugee families makes the Big Give an obvious solution.”

Pauline Levert
Special to Spur Ottawa

Syrian refugees still face steep challenges one year in. While they don’t get as much space in the headlines, churches sponsoring them have not stopped innovating. One refugee-sponsoring church, All Saints Lutheran, used their efforts for the recent Big Give to specifically support local refugee families.

“Goods we gathered for the Big Give were used to furnish and equip an apartment for a refugee family that we helped sponsor,” explains All Saints member Laurie Storsater.

But they didn’t stop with their own refugee family.

“There is a large population of new arrivals to Canada, including refugees, in the area near our church,” Storsater says. “Our desire to help these refugee families makes the Big Give an obvious solution to support this work.”

To take advantage of this, the church directed their Big Give advertising to the area adjacent to their church. Members went door-to-door dropping off fliers to announce the event.

“The response we saw from the refugees was very positive and heartwarming. When they arrive, they come with next to nothing and they need virtually everything to set up their new homes.”

“The response we saw from the refugees was very positive and heartwarming.” Photo courtesy of Laurie Storsater.

Storsater says the church members were very generous with their donations. The Big Give enabled them to supply kitchenware, linens, pots and pans, clothing, bedding, shoes and boots, appliances, electronic devices, televisions, and furniture to the families.

“We had at least two dozen volunteers coming to help with collecting, sorting, and setting up and manning the various tables.”

This was the third year the church has participated in the Big Give. This year, they teamed up with Vineyard Ottawa and Britannia United Church to make the event a success. While they don’t have an exact number, Storsater says at least 250 people came to their outreach, many of whom were new arrivals to Canada.

And the church had one more surprise give-away for their guests.

“Given the homemade baking and sandwiches prepared by church members, no one left empty handed or hungry.”