Rent money, acquired: RIAC stays afloat with last-minute donation

The St. John's-based Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council will live to see another day after a last-minute donation from a good Samaritan on Saturday

• With no rent money for November, St. John's-based refugee and immigrant council facing eviction

Mark Ward, executive director of the Newfoundland International Student Education Program, said he read about the organization's plight in an article posted on CBC's website Saturday morning.

He decided to pay it forward and delivered a $2,000 cheque to RIAC Executive Director Jose Rivera Saturday afternoon.

"I'm sure it takes at least some temporary pressure off his plate," said Ward.

"Let's face it, we need immigration in Newfoundland if we're going to survive long term. We need more people here."

Rivera had warned earlier this week that if RIAC wasn't able to raise $2,000 for rent, utilities and various office expenses, they'd be without a home. 

RIAC provides support and assistance to refugees and immigrants that come to Newfoundland from around the world. 

More donors needed

Rivera said the donation was much appreciated, and though the organization had hoped to stay in their existing office on Water Street, he now believes the donation will go further if they downsize. 

"Now that we have Mark's contribution, that's going to make it a lot more easy." he said. 

What we need is a swarm of little bees, that give us a little donation, a monthly fixed donation.- Jose Rivera

While Ward's donation will help in the near future, Rivera said RIAC will need more money to survive longer than the next couple of months.

"What we need is a swarm of little bees, that give us a little donation, a monthly fixed donation. Anything from $5 on."

"That will help a lot because then we're going to have something specific that we're going to be able to use and hire people that have some stability and security to keep helping people," said Rivera.