Centre Street Church cares about refugees because Jesus cares about refugees. He calls us to love and welcome them not as strangers but as those who belong here with us.
In 2013, God called us to launch The New Canadian Friendship Centre in response to a growing need for support for New Canadians and those who recently moved to Canada. Now, we are seeing even more people coming to Canada needing the same support. God is leading us to expand our support to refugees through The New Canadian Friendship Centre.
Relationships and friendship are at the core of this ministry; after all, ‘friendship’ is in the name. People looking for help and support come first for community and friendship, then the programs we offer second. In our pursuit of being like Jesus to a world that desperately needs Him, we elevate the same value He has for an individual’s story and journey.
Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself, because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:34 (CEB)
We invite individuals, community groups and families to support refugees alongside NCFC through the Refugee Friendship Program.
NCFC will provide resources and training before connecting volunteers with a Refugee Claimant family to provide social and integrative support for their first year in Calgary. We also provide volunteers with ongoing support and mentorship during this year.
Interested? Fill out this form below and we’ll be in touch with more info.
You can also volunteer with NCFC to support refugees and other newcomers to Canada through our regular programs such as:
Government Assisted Refugees (GAR)
Government Assisted Refugees (GAR’s) are referred for resettlement in Canada by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Up to one year of resettlement in Canada is financially supported by the Government of Canada. In Calgary, the Canadian government works with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) to re-settle GAR’s, as well as funding other agencies to provide language, employment and other support.
Private Refugee Sponsorship is a unique Canadian program that allows private groups to sponsor eligible refugees from abroad. A group, church, or other organization provides financial, social and resettlement support for a refugee family for the sponsorship period, usually up to 1 year.
If you know of someone outside of Canada needing refugee sponsorship, who has already been UNHCR designated, you can:
Centre Street Church does not sponsor refugees under the Private Refugee Sponsorship program. Private sponsorship happens best with smaller groups of people who together give and care personally for a refugee family. Financial contributions to private sponsorship are not eligible for tax receipts through the church.
If you feel led to privately sponsor a refugee, we encourage you to visit the website.
Furniture, clothing and household items can be donated directly to organizations that support refugees such as:
Email or visit the website.
While some Ukrainians come to Calgary already knowing a family member or friend, others come knowing no one. Their immediate needs are for temporary housing and then employment. As an individual or family, you can make a significant difference in the life of a person or family fleeing a devastating war simply by hosting them in your home.
We have various ways you can help support refugees and New Canadians through the New Canadian Friendship Centre. Check out opportunities to serve at NCFC or email
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