Syrian refugee donation centre taking stock

The Welcome Project donation centre, set up in Charlottetown to take in household goods and other items for Syrian refugees coming to P.E.I., will shut down over the holidays in order to take stock.

The centre, located at 1 Queen St. in Charlottetown, will stop taking donations after Saturday.

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They need the break, as it took only four days to fill the two large rooms at the centre.

"So these are all the winter coats that have been coming in," said Hannah Jones, co-ordinator of the Welcome Project for the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada, who is tracking all of the donations.

"We've got all kinds for men, women and children," she said. "And they're all sized and ready to go and ready to be handed out to Syrian families as they arrive."

The centre is still looking for furniture, household items, winter outerwear and footwear, new toiletries, gift cards, school supplies, toys and arts and crafts.

They don't need any more mattresses or regular clothing.

Jones calls the response to the call for donations overwhelming.

"Syrians are arriving here and elsewhere in Canada with nothing," she said. "Maybe a small backpack and just the very basics that they have on their own possession, And so this is Islanders really stepping up."

That's made for some special moments the past few days.

"Personally I reflect on some of the individual stories of, you know, somebody coming in and she knit 65 pairs of mittens for children," said Jones.

The association hopes to sort out the goods in a way that families can walk through and easily pick out what they need.

Both government-assisted and privately-sponsored refugees will be supported by the centre.

In January, after letting Islanders know what the outstanding donation needs are, the Welcome Project donation centre will re-open.