“My people buy these for a very expensive price, and still they drown,” Azad* tells me as he fits into an orange life-vest, looking out over the quiet south bay of Anvil Island, BC.

The image of orange life-vests is synonymous with the current refugee crisis, a symbol of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers taking risky boat passage from north Africa and the Middle East toward Europe.  I’ve personally been gutted by the images of children, men, and women landing on the European coastline, faces tight with fear, the surf pounding around them.  It’s sheer survival. Continue Reading →

In July 2015, Kinbrace entered an Implementing Partnership Agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to carry out a six-month pilot project of detention monitoring in British Columbia as part of the Global Strategy -Beyond Detention.
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Burnaby youth have more than talent: they’ve got huge hearts for global concerns and hardworking hands to bring change locally.

Kinbrace was selected by the Burnaby District Student Advisory Council (DSAC) (student leaders from the eight Burnaby high schools) as the charity to support through their amazing annual Burnaby’s Got Talent event held on 08 April 2015.
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Food shared at Kinbrace brings diverse people together:  asylum seekers, Canadians, neighbours, former Kinbrace residents, young and old.

While there is much that alienates (language, history, fear, uncertainty), when food is prepared with care and with the intention of sharing, it becomes a powerful invitation to bring us beyond our differences toward trust and friendship.

When we prepare and share the food we know and love, our identities are somehow deeply and uniquely affirmed.
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When refugee-serving agencies in Metro Vancouver discovered a significant barrier limiting refugee integration, they approached Vancity, Canada’s largest community credit union, for help. Vancity, with its commitment to building inclusive communities for everyone and helping people become “bankable,” is an active partner in the work of refugee integration and settlement. For example, they open accounts for government-assisted refugees and refugee claimants within the first weeks of arrival in Canada. Continue Reading →

There are over 4 million Syrian refugees (half of them children) outside their country, living in precarious situations.

The Canadian government is committed to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. Religious groups, individuals, and others are rallying to bring Syrian refugees to Canada through the private sponsorship program.  Continue Reading →

Congratulations to everyone participating in this year’s Ride for Refuge, breaking previous years’ records, demonstrating a profound welcome for refugee claimants.

On the bright, sunny 3 October Saturday, 134 riders on 14 Kinbrace teams gathered midst 600 riders from other charities in Richmond, BC, rallying under the big green balloon, greeting each other, reaching for their complementary chocolates, and tying the telltale Kinbrace balloons to their helmets or bikes, getting ready for rides ranging from 10-50 kms. Continue Reading →

Listen as Binyamin tells the story of his family’s arrival as refugee claimants in Canada. This superb audio documentary “Lost and Found” provides a seldom-heard perspective through the experience of a teenager. Kinbrace was the “first home” for Binyamin and his family.

Refugee claimants arriving in Canada often struggle with mental wellbeing, simply because they have and continue to encounter significant stressors and trauma.

Kinbrace recently launched its Wellness Counselling Program under the direction of Erin Pearce to support the mental wellbeing of Kinbrace residents. Erin has a Masters in Social Work focusing on refugee mental health and is our newest staff member working in the role of Wellness Counsellor.
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Kinbrace supporters showed amazing generosity in the closing months of 2014, giving an unprecedented $83,000 ($40,000 more than last year) to support refugees through the Kinbrace mandate.

October’s Ride for Refuge fundraiser was a spinning success where 9 teams (84 riders), supported by 240 donors, raised $19,390, just short of our $20,000 goal. Thanks to each of you who so generously participated: team captains, riders, and donors. Continue Reading →