In 2020, as he did every year, our beloved late director Francisco Rico-Martínez adopted for the last time the role of Santa Claus, to bring joy, hope and gifts to the children of refugees, immigrants and undocumented people during the holiday season.

The FCJ Refugee Centre’s Francisco Rico-Martínez Endowment Fund, created in Francisco’s memory, seeks to keep alive that tradition of help and solidarity, so we can continue our work in favour of the most vulnerable populations.

This holiday season, you can contribute to keep refugee help in refugee hands.

Please make your donation here:

FCJ Refugee Centre relies on supporters like you to carry out important work. We support refugee claimants, those without status, migrant workers, women and children in need of housing, victims of human-trafficking… We also have a free health clinic, run a vibrant youth group and organize many other important initiatives that need support.

Thank you so much for your help. Every act of generosity counts.

Our Fall 2022 Newsletter is ready! Check it out to find information about this Season of Giving and the different ways you can contribute to keep refugee help in refugee hands, including our new Francisco-Rico Martinez Endowment Fund. Learn also how you can support your community with initiatives like Bag of Toronto, and read about the campaign Open Work Permits Now, the Regularize Now Quilt Project, the Canadian Council for Refugees Consultation, the FCJ Youth Network activities, and much more.

Click here to access the document if you can’t see it in this page.

 

 

During this holiday season when you support local business you are supporting us!

Bag of Toronto sells neighborhood-themed gift bags filled with goods from small businesses. During these holidays if you buy a bag of goods, proceeds will be donated to FCJ Refugee Centre!

Thanks to Bag of Toronto for choosing FCJ Refugee Centre as the charity of this year in the Oakwood neighborhood.

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Bag of Toronto is a non-profit organization selling curated bags of local goods to support small businesses in Toronto. It started during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and offer a way for Torontonians to support the businesses they know and love, all in one purchase.

This holiday season Bag of Toronto is back to invite local residents to choose from eight curated bags from distinct neighbourhoods (Bloordale, Bloorcourt, Ossington, Queen West, College Promenade, Riverside, Kensington Market, and Oakwood).

Purchase a bag for a family member, friend, or to treat yourself! Every purchase makes a positive impact on 80+ small businesses and any profits are donated to eight charities, one in each respective neighbourhood.

Highlights from the project include:

• Distributing over $160,000 to local businesses during a time of great need.
• Over 3000 bags have been sold, along with $12,000 raised in donations.
• In each bag, customers receive 5-6 items sampled from small businesses.
• Partner vendors pay NO FEES to be included. Bag of Toronto purchases directly from the local businesses.

This program was made possible in partnership with eight BIAs (Bloorcourt, Bloordale, College Promenade, Ossington, Queen West, Riverside, Kensington Market, and Oakwood).

If you’re interested to learn more, reach Bag of Toronto at bagoftoronto@gmail.com or visit bagoftoronto.ca. Purchases can be made at bagoftoronto.ca/shop.

Migrant workers work essential jobs and contribute to our communities. But many are denied their fundamental and basic human right to change employers freely.

There is no debate, employer-specific work permits put migrant workers at a higher risk of abuse and mistreatment. Enough is enough, it is time for Canada to end this unjust and discriminatory policy.

Workers and their supporters are calling on the Canadian Government to abolish employer-specific work permits and need your support.

Sign the petition demanding that employer-specific work permits be replaced with open work permits.

Sign here »

Want to learn more about the issue and keep up-to-date on the campaign? Check out our social media platforms and help amplify the call for Open Work Permits Now!

• Main website
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

FCJ Refugee Centre is making a call to everyone during this season to reflect on generosity and support the work the Centre does in making society a better place for vulnerable populations.

This year on November 29, just after Black Friday kicked off the holiday shopping season, Giving Tuesday will be the opening day for the giving season. Join a global day of giving and be a part of the #GivingTuesday campaign, a movement that has been driven by individuals, charities, businesses and communities across Canada and in countries around the world.

During this giving season, we call on everyone to consider making a gift to show your support for refugees and other precarious migrants.

Please make your donation here, and choose “Giving Tuesday” as the fund you are supporting.

FCJ Refugee Centre relies on supporters like you to carry out important work, and make sure that we can keep walking with uprooted people in our community. We support refugee claimants, those without status, migrant workers, women and children in need of housing, victims of human-trafficking… We also have a free health clinic, run a vibrant youth group and organize many other important initiatives that need support.

Thank you so much for your help. Every act of generosity counts, and it means even more when we give together!

The Migrant Women’s Counter Human Trafficking Alliance invites you to our bi-weekly workshops!

This week we are presenting: Yoga for Beginners, and we welcome all newcomer migrant women to join!

During this session we will have a short introduction to understanding and dealing with anxiety, followed by a 15 minute relaxation time and introductory yoga. It will take place through zoom.

The goal of these workshops is to provide a safe space and to provide women the ability to build a community, form friendships, encourage healing, and promote awareness and resilience.

The sessions will have hybrid model, with some being delivered in-person and others will take place online.

Please contact Daniela Arroyo at danielaa@fcjrefugeecentre.org or 416-469-9754 ext. 222 to register or if you have any questions!