Hope Over Holidays For Afghan Refugees
Donations are once again being collected for Afghan refugees to help families over the holiday season.
The drive aims to provide toys for kids as well as everyday essentials:
- School supplies (backpacks, stationary, lunch bags)
- Baby care (diapers, wipes, strollers, baby formula)
- Hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant)
- Gift cards (to be distributed directly to refugee families)
- New unwrapped toys
Donations can be dropped off until December 14 at:
- 51 Division (51 Parliament St.)
- 53 Division (75 Eglinton W.)
- 31 Division (40 Norfinch Dr.)
Project Hope aims to support thousands of people who came to Canada with nothing more than the clothes on their back.
“When we heard that Afghan refugees were coming, we decided we would visit them, see what the needs are and then go from there,” said Neighbourhood Community Officer Constable Farzad Ghotbi, who along with his then-partner Mustafa Popalzai decided to reach out to see what needs the refugees had.
From there, Project Hope was born and police officers, community members and businesses helped with truckloads of donations over the course of the last two years.
Both officers came to Canada as refugees – Ghotbi from Iran and Popalzai from Afghanistan.
“We want them to be successful here in Canada,” said Ghotbi, who helped deliver a seminar to the refugees on Canadian customs and laws. "This is part of giving them the tools to do that."
