Support Open Harbour Refugee Association! We are hoping to welcome a family in early 2023 to start a new life in peace in Nova Scotia, but we need your help!

With this sponsorship (our sixth), we will be partnering with the Canadian government which will fund six months of basic living expenses for the family. We are responsible for all other costs in their first year in Canada, including living expenses for the other six months, setting up an apartment, and a contingency for emergencies. We also pay their travel costs to Canada as they are not covered by our government.    

So far, we have raised about $11,000 through donations and special events. With the rising costs of rent, groceries and other essentials, we will need to supplement what the government provides. That's where you come in. An additional $10,000 will allow us to submit an application to start the process of resettling a refugee family in need as soon as possible. 

Please donate if you can and whatever you can. Thank you!

Welcome new neighbours

Open Harbour Refugee Association is a volunteer-run organization based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that sponsors refugees.

We believe that everyone—no matter where they were born or where they live—has a right to a safe home.

Supporting refugees financially is only one of our responsibilities as a sponsorship group. We offer friendship and emotional support, and help newcomers:

• find safe housing that meets their needs
• access language training and enrol children in school
• learn about Canadian culture and values
• find a job or job training
• learn to become part of their community

Help a refugee family call Halifax home

Your gift will make a lasting impact in the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world. It will give people who have lived through unbelievable hardship a chance to live in safety and peace.

How your donation could help a refugee family:

• Monthly phone cost: $50+
• Winter clothing: $200+
• Healthy food for a month: $500+
• One month of rent: $1300+

100% of your donation goes directly to supporting refugees in their first year in Canada.

How to contribute?

We can’t do this without you! Kindly click on the "contribute" option here, send an e-Transfer to hello@openharbour.ca, or a cheque to: OHRA Treasurer, 3318 Isleville St., Halifax, NS, B3K 3Y7. Please include both your email and mailing addresses in order to receive a tax receipt (for donations received by end of Dec. 28, 2022). OHRA thanks you for your support!

 (E-Transfers are preferred, if possible.)