16 November, 2015
We are pleased to announce that we have received two new donations to the CCR Endowment Fund totalling $ 25,000. Gifts to the Endowment Fund sustain the long-term future of the work of the Canadian Council for Refugees.
Both donors generously chose to give to the CCR Endowment Fund after receiving a legacy. One of the donors, a long-time CCR supporter and Friend, wanted to share a personal account of why it was important to her to share this gift and to contribute to the future of the CCR in this way.
“…it was important to give to the CCR as the work it does is very close to my heart.”
“In the past months, we have all been touched by the Syrian refugee crisis, which has affected others in the region and beyond. It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and impotent by the countless news reports and haunting photos of desperate refugees crammed into leaky boats, without life vests and little food and water. These are huge, complicated situations and people are making very desperate decisions. But there is a way in which people can help: by supporting organizations that day in and day out keep fighting to raise awareness about a world on the move, regardless of what is in the media.
The CCR shines a spotlight into the bleak and forgotten corners of refugee camps overseas, and detention centers around the world and in Canada. It also gives small organizations a platform to share their voices and maximize their potential, without which they would not have the opportunity to speak up. Policies have the power both to open doors and to kill people. It may not feel like public policy and advocacy work are saving people, but this work has an important impact on the individual human beings that we care about.
The CCR not only supports and sustains organizations that do on-the-ground work, it also looks at the way in which we treat refugees and asylum seekers in Canada. The CCR’s voice comes from the grassroots, from people with lived experiences. It is compassionate and urges us to reach beyond what we are capable of, even when expressing ideas that run against the mainstream, such as countering voices that promote a “fear of the stranger.”
“It may not feel like public policy and advocacy work are saving people, but this work has an important impact on the individual human beings that we care about.”
Refugee voices are prominent within the CCR leadership, including refugee and newcomer youth. This achievement is not by chance, but by a conviction that barriers to full involvement have to be named and addressed.
I have been a donor of the CCR for a long time. The CCR is an organization whose goals and how it achieves them are very important to me. I recently received an unexpected gift of money and felt that it was important to give to the CCR as the work it does is very close to my heart.”
These extremely generous gifts reflect the deep commitment of our supporters. As an independent coalition, the CCR receives no core funding from government and heavily relies on donations to be able to work towards ensuring that Canada protects refugees and other vulnerable migrants in Canada and around the world, and that it remains open and welcoming to newcomers.
If you, or someone you know, are thinking of leaving a legacy gift or making a major donation that will be invested in long-term support, contributing to the CCR Endowment Fund is a great way to make a powerful impact in the years to come.
- Make a donation to the CCR Endowment Fund, the best way to sustain our work for the future;
- Include the CCR Endowment Fund in your will;
- Introduce the CCR Endowment Fund to others who share our values and who might wish to contribute.
Find out more about the CCR Endowment Fund and how to make a long-lasting gift.