Syrian refugee donation centre to reopen in Charlottetown
'The biggest outstanding items are furniture donations,' says Welcome Project co-ordinator
The Charlottetown donation centre to help Syrian refugees will be reopening on Saturdays, beginning this Saturday, Jan. 23.
- P.E.I. Syrian refugees to receive hand-knitted mittens
- Refugee donation centre to open in Charlottetown Tuesday
- Syrian refugee donation centre taking stock
The centre opened on Dec.1 of last year and was quickly overwhelmed with mountains of donations. It closed temporarily in late December to allow staff and volunteers to sort through it all
Officials with the Welcome Project of the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada say with so many families arriving on the Island since early in the new year, the stock of some needed items is now getting low.
"Everything from sofas and chairs, end tables, dressers — that sort of thing that really get families established in their new home," said Jones.
She says the centre will only be open Saturdays, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., because the staff are extremely busy helping the new families arriving in the area.
"The hardest part with that is that we don't offer a pick-up service," Jones noted. "So it is for drop-off only at our donation centre."
Jones is asking people to go to the Welcome Project website to get a full list of needed items or to make a monetary donation at www.peianc.com.
There are some items the centre does not accept: clothing, mattresses, food and large appliances.
The centre helps both government-sponsored and privately-sponsored refugees.
The centre is at 1 Queen Street, which is the old Coast Guard warehouse across from the Delta Hotel.