Get the Al-Rabee Syrian refugee family to Canada

We are a group of friends and family that have formed a Constituent Group for Syrian refugee sponsorship . This allows us to sponsor the Al-Rabee family and their resettlement as refugees through the Government of Canada. Before submitting their claim, we need to raise enough money to cover the costs of this family of five’s first year in Canada.

We need your help. Please donate. And please, share this campaign widely.

When you give, you will be supporting Abed who fled Syria in 2011, his wife Fatima who fled soon afterward, and their three children Omar (age 7), Reem (age 4), and Saker (age 2) who have grown up as refugees in Lebanon.

They have lost family and friends to the War in Syria. They have no passports and need safety and security. For almost ten years, the Al-Rabee family has lived in Lebanon. They have been waiting for resettlement, but their hearings have been delayed. On August 4th, the Beirut explosion destroyed Abed’s workplace.

But they are also so much more than their suffering.

The family name, Al-Rabee, means Spring. It is fitting for five wonderful people who are loving and kind. Abed and Fatima work very hard to give every opportunity they can to their children.

They dream of coming to Canada. Abed, who has been working in a coffee shop for nine years to provide for his family, imagines working in a roastery in Canada. Fatima works with her son Omar’s schoolbooks to teach herself and little Reem English.

In these difficult times, it can be hard to know what we can do. But we can offer this family a home.

Wherever you are, in Canada or abroad, you can help us.

Please give.

Emily Scott (@emilykmscott ) and Team Spring



How to Donate?

Option 1. GoFundMe: Donate right here through GoFundMe.
- A 2.9% fee will be deducted by GoFundMe, if you choose this option.

OR

Option 2. By cheque or CanadaHelps.
- This option will get you a Canadian tax receipt.

We are a non-denominational group made up of diverse members. We are working through a Sponsorship Agreement Holder   (SAH), which has a legal agreement with the Canadian Government that allows them to submit claims on behalf of refugees and their sponsors. This is the Anglican Church in Ottawa's Refugee Ministry  .

You can send a cheque to the: “The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa,” with the memo line indicating “Team Spring.” Mailing Address”: The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa 71 Bronson Ave. Ottawa, ON K1R 6G6. No fees are deducted, if you donate by cheque. A tax receipt will be issued.

Or, donate through CanadaHelps here : Be sure to choose TEAM SPRING from the drop-down menu under “Donate Now” and “Apply your donation to a fund set up by this charity.” A 4% fee will be deducted by CanadaHelps, if you choose this option. A tax receipt will be issued.

How the money will be spent

Your donations will be administered through our Sponsorship Agreement Holder and given to the Al-Rabee family to cover costs of their first year in Canada. All expenses incurred by us, as a Constituent Group, in the set-up of housing, collection of clothing, and provision of dental and medical care not covered by the Canadian healthcare system will be recorded. We will retain all records and receipts for review by our the Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) and by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada .

Our relationship with the Al-Rabee family

My husband Adam and I are Canadians from British Columbia and Ontario and met the Al-Rabee family while working as a teacher (at Wellspring Learning Community) and Ph.D. researcher (at the University of Toronto) in Beirut between 2016 and 2019.