Refugee Assistance

Elaine Harder, Coordinator

Through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program, MCC facilitates the matching of church or constituent groups to refugees in need of protection. Constituent groups (CGs) commit to sponsoring refugee families for a one year period after arrival. MCC Saskatchewan provides training and support to constituent groups in the application process, pre-arrival and post-arrival. MCCS will also help constituent groups select the type of program, and family to be sponsored.

MCC priorities for refugee sponsorship include women at risk, large families, and families with no links to Canada. Our referrals come to us through UNHCR, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), partners overseas, or families living in our communities. Sponsor groups are members of MCC's supporting churches, church groups who do not have a Sponsor Agreement, or community groups who agree with MCC"s approach to sponsorship and meet our rquirements.

In a full sponsorship, CGs agree to financially provide basic costs, and introduce and help families settle in the host community for a period of one year after arrival, or until the family becomes self-sufficient whichever comes first, or in exceptional cases for a period of up to 36 months. Other programs include a Joint Assisted Sponsorship in which CIC provides the financial support and the CG provides the settlement help, or cost-shared programs in which CIC and the CGs each provide financial support, but the CG provides the settlement support.

MCC encourages churches and communities to consider assisting refugees in need of protection through the private sponsorship program.

Elaine Harder
600-45th St. W.
Saskatoon, SK S7L 5W9
306.665.2555
eharder@mccs.org

For more information contact Elaine at 665-2555 or e-mail at eharder@mccs.org