I am on the board for Compass and I have learned a lot about the various pathways refugees take to gain official status here and start their new lives in Canada. While all of these pathways are difficult and I cannot imagine the trauma refugees go through, I have learned that Compass was started (as Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support) to help those that have no other support.

Refugee claimants supported by Compass are those who have given up everything to come to Canada with no sponsors (government or private) to help them. They are not eligible for any governmant support to launch their claim process and often have no financial resources. They often don't speak English. And while they have a legal right under Canadian and international law to have refugee status here, they must navigate a complex legal system in order to gain that status. Additionally, they have often left family behind and will wait years to be reunited with their spouse and/or children.

In addition to the complex refugee claim process, because they have no sponsors, they have no one to help them find housing, basic needs like clothing, food, transportation, let alone find jobs or a sense of belonging in the community. Compass helps meet immediate and long-term needs for refugee claimants in our community while also assisting with the refugee claim process. Compass often becomes their new family while they are separated from family they had to leave behind.

Compass is the only organization of it's kind across a large swath of southern Ontario. With a staff of only 10, Compass is able to help over 2,000 people across 40 Ontario communities every year.

Compass is doing amazing work to welcome people from all over the world into our community. But the work only happens because of the generous support of donors. 

I'm riding ensure Waterloo Region keeps welcoming new neighbours from around the world.