Hundreds of refugees gather for first Thanksgiving dinner in North York

Around 300 refugee claimants gathered for their first Thanksgiving dinner in Canada at a church in North York on Saturday.

Christian Centre Church's project lead Amanda Coombs says volunteers were able to serve the newcomers seeking refuge a warm meal and give them gift cards through a new initiative, the African Refuge Care program, all in the spirit of letting "them know that they're at home."

"This is important because it really helps to bring awareness to the crisis that we have in Toronto, in regards of shelter and housing," said Coombs.

Asylum seekers started coming to Toronto in droves this summer, with many of them forced to sleep on the streets due to the city's over-capacity shelter system. Community groups and churches like Christian Centre Church have since stepped in, trying to alleviate the pressure — especially since many of them are once again sleeping outside. 

Many of them have been hopping from shelter to shelter for weeks to months. On Saturday, the asylum seekers are coming from a hotel or different churches across the city, said Coombs. 

Coombs says the church will host a meal every weekend, and is encouraging people to donate winter clothes to give to refugee claimants ahead of the cold weather.

"We all have a part to play in what we can do to support and help the refugees here in Canada," she said.

'We feel at home'

Perminus Kinyanjui says he came in July from Kenya. Though he slept a few days on the street, he said things are getting better after he was told the government is working to provide him and others more long-term shelter, compared to the church he's been staying at. 

For now, a warm dinner with people who understand what he's been through is something he's extra grateful for.

"I'm so thankful for the organizers of this event because it has brought us together," said Kinyannjui.

"People from different shelters are here, and at least we feel at home. When we see people from other shelters, from other countries all come together, we feel so good."

Enos Kipkoskei, who also arrived in July from Kenya, says he feared for his life back home.

While he spent weeks on the street, he says he now has a work permit and is thankful for the prospect of starting a new life here, where Canada "has been good" to him.

"It was terrible, but because it's a past thing, I can say I've learned something from there because I knew how to cope," said Kipkoskei, 21.

"Things are getting better. But we only have one thing that's not good yet [which are the cost of] houses."