The United Church is our partner, supporting AURA through the Shining Waters Regional Council (SWRC). As an individual United Church or Church Group, you can get involved with AURA in the following ways:
Sponsor a ‘Named’ Case
Sponsor a refugee individual or family through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program. This includes raising sufficient funds to financially support the refugees for their first year in Canada, as well as general settlement obligations such as helping them find housing, access education and healthcare, adjust to daily life, and make Canada their home.
These applications often take 2 or more years for the government of Canada to process, from submission to arrival. After arrival, the one-year sponsorship support period begins.
Generally, you need to know the family or individual being sponsored through a connection for the sponsorship to take place. Churches often receive such requests from members of communities they serve
Read more here: Refugee Sponsorship: An Overview
Contact us to sponsor a named case at: info@auraforrefugees.org
Sponsor a BVOR Case
A Blended Visa Office Referred (BVOR) sponsorship is different than a named case in 3 fundamental ways:
- You do not know the identity of the person/family you are sponsoring
- The sponsored refugee newcomers receive 6 months of financial support from the government during their first year, requiring less fundraising by sponsors.
- The refugees have already been accepted by IRCC and are likely to arrive within 2-4 months of submitting an application.
You can consider the BVOR program if there is no specific family or individual that you would like to sponsor. BVOR profiles are posted online by the IRCC every two weeks for potential sponsors to review.
Learn more about the BVOR Program
Contact us to sponsor a BVOR case at: info@auraforrefugees.org.
See profiles of refugees who need sponsors now: https://www.rstp.ca/en/bvor/refugeeprofiles/
Support a Family or Community Group in Sponsorship
Many United Churches play a supporting role in sponsorships with families or community groups who act as the primary sponsors. In these cases, the family/community sponsors are responsible for the financial obligations and hands-on post arrival resettlement support, while the Church plays a more facilitative role – partnering to make it all possible.
Invite an AURA Speaker
AURA would be happy to speak to your congregation about the global refugee situation, the role of AURA and how you can get involved.
Donate
While the Toronto regions of the Anglican and United Churches provide us with 50%-70% of our core funding annually, we rely on donations to keep our mission going. You may donate in the following ways:
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E-transfer: donation@auraforrefugees.org
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Cheque: payable to ‘Anglican United Refugee Alliance’.
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Mailing address: 525 Bloor Street East, Toronto, ON M4W 1J1.
Make a team for the Walk ‘N Roll.
Walk ‘N Roll is AURA’s community fundraiser held in the fall season every year. Supporters host events in their own communities to raise funds for AURA’s mission. Participate in this year’s Walk ‘N Roll
