Syrian Family Arrives

After five months of planning and fundraising, Yukon Cares is thrilled to finally have welcomed our Syrian family to join our Yukon community here in Whitehorse. The 11-member family arrived to a joyous welcome from many Yukon Cares volunteers and local politicians on Saturday, January 30, 2016. The family’s arrival had been delayed a few weeks as Yukon Cares volunteers learned that the family of eight children and two adults was now a family with nine children. The family had welcomed a baby boy while they were refugees in Lebanon and a visa had to be obtained for the 18-month old boy, which had delayed their arrival by a few weeks.

Yukon Cares pulled together and through generous donations, volunteers have set up a furnished home for the family along with clothing for every member of the family and toys for the children.

Volunteers with Yukon Cares Sponsorship Committee are also prepared to help the family settle in by providing translation services and local ESL teachers, who will help the family learn English and learn about their new home. It is hoped that Whitehorse residents will appreciate the hardships these refugees have faced and will welcome this family in true northern style. Since Yukon Cares was launched last September, Yukoners have been extremely generous with their time and money. Anyone wishing to donate items to this family, or future families we plan to help resettle here in Yukon, are asked to contact us at yukon.cares@gmail.com.

Yukon Cares would like to extend a huge Yukon thank you to everyone who gave so generously to make the arrival of this family a reality. We are all truly grateful.