Just like sisters after 10 months

Just like sisters after 10 months

Eleanor and Amira are sisters. But they only met 10 months ago. Eleanor, a volunteer with the Catholic Centre for Immigrants, met Amira through the Matching Program shortly after Amira moved to Ottawa from Damascus, Syria. In Damascus, she had been a director of...
Matching Program creates deep bonds

Matching Program creates deep bonds

The determination Marwan shows in his efforts to adapt to Canadian life is something to behold. The 39-year-old Iraqi man has reason. His past suffering has led him to a deep sense of gratitude to Canada, and he wants to integrate into the culture of his adopted...
Dealing with a wave of refugees

Dealing with a wave of refugees

Since July 1, 2017, more than 7,000 migrants have walked over the border from the US into Quebec in order to claim refugee status in Canada. The numbers crossing into Quebec jumped this summer. In July alone, the RCMP intercepted nearly 3,000 asylum seekers as they...
Syrian family always giving thanks

Syrian family always giving thanks

Many of us will spend the Thanksgiving holiday with our family and loved ones. We’ll take a moment to appreciate the lives we enjoy and the everyday things we sometimes take for granted. For the Al Saraheen family, every day for the last year has felt like...
Circles help seniors connect

Circles help seniors connect

Theres an old saying that growing old is not for the meek. One of the many challenges some seniors will face as they grow older is isolation. For seniors who are immigrants and dont speak English very well, the isolation can be even more profound. Last year, the...