Refugee Funding Update

Dear BSBC family,

Your Social Action Team thanks you for your ongoing support for the initiatives that we brought forward at our Annual Business Meeting including the sponsorship of another refugee family. We would like to provide you with an update on progress for the refugee funding for the family that we expect to submit the sponsorship application for in 2023. As a reminder, this family of six are originally from Syria and currently living as refugees in Lebanon. Rachel Nesbitt, a member of our congregation has befriended their relatives here in Fredericton which is how we connected with them. 

We are pleased to share that since January over $1,450 has been generously given to the Refugee Fund. There was a correction to the balance of funds available following our previous newsletter article, which means that currently our balance stands at $8,005 available in the refugee fund. The correction was required when the balances were more closely examined, and it was recognized that we were holding funds in our Refugee Fund for a previously approved co-sponsorship from several years ago. 

The reserve funds were supplied by the co-sponsor, but due to COVID and other delays, that refugee couple have not yet had their application approved to come to Fredericton. The treasurer has now moved these designated funds to their own account to avoid future confusion with the Refugee Fund for this family of six.  We encourage you, as able, to make a regular contribution to support for this family of six by designating your gift “Refugee Fund” or “Refugees”.

We will look forward to continuing to share updates on the Refugee Fund and our sponsorship progress in the coming months. If you have any questions about this, please contact Martina Verboom at adrianandmartina@gmail.com.

Thank-you!