Saskatchewan

People in Moose Jaw flock to Facebook page to help new refugees

A new Facebook page started on Wednesday by a Moose Jaw woman is ballooning in members who want to lend a hand to the city's new refugees.

Nearly 600 members joined the Facebook page over the course of one night

Sommer Amare started a Facebook page to organize ways to help the Moose Jaw's new refugees. (Facebook)

A Moose Jaw, Sask. woman wanted to do something to help the city's incoming refugees, and she quickly found out that others did too.

Sommer Amare founded the "I Will Help" Facebook page on Wednesday,and had nearly 600 members join overnight.  

"It tells me that there are so many who are just ready to help and excited to help and it's really encouraging," Amare said. 

The I Will Help Facebook page had nearly 600 members as of the morning of Nov. 19. (Facebook/CBC)

Amare was motivated to take action after learning about refugees through posts on Facebook. Not only were there heart-wrenching stories of refugees on boats in Greece, but also a lot of negativity.

Amare said she wanted to use the page as a platform for hope, and organizing different ways to help newcomers. 

Soon after she created the page, people started posting about different ways they could lend a hand.  

"There's medical professionals saying they'd be willing to take some people on tours of the new hospital and get them to know our healthcare system, and they speak Arabic and whole bunch of different languages and they can help translate," she said. 

Others have offered to provide English classes, as well as food, household items and winter clothing.   

Amare said starting today she will get to work to turn some of these ideas into realities.