Maritimers housing Syrian refugees say many incoming families don’t have much more than beds and a few clothing items, and some are even struggling to find food.
The donation centre for refugees in Nova Scotia closed last month and now the refugees currently arriving are starting off with less than those who arrived at the beginning of the year.
Rather than getting supplies from the centre, they have to pay rent and buy all the necessities with the start-up money they are given, which is usually around $10,000 for government-sponsored families.
"This is the only time we've done a donation centre, [and] we've been having refugees come for the last 30 years,” said Gerry Mills, director of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia.
Fatima Sabra, a student teacher at Citadel High School in Halifax, says more needs to be done to help.
“One of the students said, ‘I have no hope,’” said Sabra. “I went and visited the house and they literally only had mattresses and boxes for the mattresses in the apartment."
Sabra then asked her students to talk to their parents and find out what they needed at home.
She and Dalhousie University student Lindsay Wood then asked for donations over Facebook.
“I just started getting flooded with donations,” said Wood. “People were messaging me, texting me, just trying to find a way to give."
Wood and Sabra say they have been overwhelmed by donations, but say they now need volunteers and bigger pieces of furniture.
"Microwaves, blenders, vacuum cleaners, couches, living room sets," said Sabra.
Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia government has announced a new fund to help with community initiatives for refugees.
"Potential funding initiatives can include welcoming initiatives like community picnics, potlucks, neighbourhood gatherings, conversation groups and honorariums for exceptional volunteers," said Nova Scotia Immigration Minister Lena Diab.
While that’s welcome news to Sambra and Wood, they say the necessities are what really matter now.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Priya Sam
