The Welcome Fund for Syrian Refugees was established in 2015 to provide housing, job training and skills development support for the 25,000 refugees who were welcomed in communities across Canada starting that year.
The Right Honourable David Johnston, former Governor General of Canada called this refugee resettlement a “defining moment” for our country. It was an opportunity for groups across sectors and across the country to support and care for those who will soon call our communities home.
The Welcome Fund supported local organizations across Canada who led the housing and resettlement efforts in partnership with Canada’s network of 191 community foundations.
Community foundations’ knowledge and leadership in Canadian communities made our movement well-suited to work alongside partners and experts to direct the contributions of the Welcome Fund to where they had the greatest impact, with a specific focus on housing, job training, and skills development.
By working with local organizations and partners, this fund helped to increase community coordination with a focus on the long term, and continued community foundations’ efforts to build communities where we all belong.