Overwhelming support in donations for Syrian refugees

Amidst the industrial vastness and cracked concrete facing the route Transcanadienne on Cote-de-Liesse Rd. in Saint-Laurent, there is a modest strip of green storage lockers.

In an area peppered with corporate headquarters, warehouses and car dealerships, charity is happening behind a heavy metal fence that gives access to the containers.

Every weekend until January, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 60 volunteers work in shifts to sort the mountains of donations for Syrian refugees that come from across the city.

The clothing, toys, diapers and toiletries—even a wheel chair—are either dropped off at the facility or collected from 27 bins around the city owned by the charity, Human Concern International.

The bins were started three years ago, and in that time have been used for different charitable causes, said Yazan Nasreddin, the manager of HCI’s Montreal office. Since October, the cause has been the 3,650 refugees expected to begin arriving in Quebec this week.

“There’s been so much demand, the phone never stops ringing,” said Nasreddin. The charity has had to rent a second container to accommodate the influx of giving. Excess donations will be sent to Syria and Turkey, or given to Montrealers in need.

Collaboration

It’s a huge undertaking, however, and the charity is not doing it alone. The donations are being sorted at the facility by Friends for a Cause, a group started by three university students who wanted to find a way to help. In the past year they’ve held bake sales and parties to raise money for different causes, and now they’ve organised the volunteers to sort the donations. Friends for a Cause will also help to pick up materials if someone wants to help, but doesn’t have the means to drop off their things.

“I think all Canadians have to do something,” said one volunteer, who did not want to be named. After seeing a report about the initiative, she decided she had to help. “All cities have to do something, we’re all human. It’s our part for democracy,” she said.

The distribution will be handled by an umbrella organisation called the Canadian Alliance for Syrian Aid, that was recently formed in response to the crisis. The charity aims to provide resources for Syrians coming to Canada. CASA’s co-ordinator, Chantal Hudson, has also had her phone ringing off the hook. “Everyone wants to donate and volunteer. I see this as a good sign that the Canadian population are very happy to help.”

While having too many donations is a good problem to have, according to Hudson, she said they are asking people to focus their efforts on necessities like toiletries. CASA also accepts food donations, and has a list of high-level volunteers who can provide free services, like psychiatric aid.

For more information, visit the Friends for a Cause Facebook page or email montreal@humanconcern.org

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