We mark our 4th anniversary by looking back at how we got here.
August 2021. A moment that changed everything.
When Afghan families started arriving in Toronto after extraordinary journeys, the urgent needs they faced were just short of their incredible strength and resilience. Many had only the clothes they wore, needing immediate care, or staying in airport hotels with small children and no resources.
Our team, a diverse group of social workers, teachers, media and communications professionals, artists and activists, and immigrants with lived experience, knew exactly what was needed: safety, welcome, and dignity.
From day one, our approach was to ask and listen: “What do you need most? What are the gaps in the existing supports in place?” Those conversations shaped everything, from our immediate response to our long-term mission: Reducing barriers, providing meaningful support, and intervening early to unlock pathways for belonging and community while refugees navigate their lives in Canada.
By listening, we create relevant programs and grow together with the people we serve.
In our first year, 74 families found the help they needed. We started with welcome baskets filled with essential goods. By our second year, 400 families were thriving with our support. That’s 2,400 people building new lives with dignity.
Recognizing such impact drove our evolution from volunteers to an established non-profit by our second year. Growing demand meant growing responsibility to continue providing meaningful support.
Families needed furniture to transform empty spaces into homes. Youth needed laptops for education during the pandemic. Parents needed digital access to access employment. Everyone needed autonomy and access to quality, culturally appropriate food.
Our nimble team responded quickly by creating Grocery Cards, Move It! and Digital Access programs through valuable partnerships with incredible organizations such as RCT – Renewed Computer Technology, IKEA, ENDY and Muslim Children’s Aid & Support Services (MCASS).
Each program was born from listening, scaled through partnerships, delivered with care and continued learning. Across these four years, we demonstrated that when refugees receive appropriate and early support they achieve self-sufficiency and give back to their communities faster.
Four years later, over 6,000+ lives were transformed. Canadian Connections has evolved a crisis response into a model to provide fast, meaningful, low-barrier settlement support to refugees navigating new lives in Canada.
August 15th marks our 4th anniversary of welcoming refugees home. Learn more about how refugee voices shape effective programs and support our responsive approach.
Connect with us today.
There are over 100 families on our waiting list to access the same level of support: laptops for digital access, quality furniture for dignified housing, grocery cards for autonomous choice and tailored support to navigate their new lives in Canada. Learn more how you can support our work: https://canadianconnections.org/donations/