SAFE
|
|
Settlement In Antigonish For Families from Everywhere
Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) in Rural Nova Scotia
SAFE is reaching a significant milestone in 2025: ten years of welcoming refugee families and individuals to Antigonish and our surrounding rural communities. To mark this anniversary, SAFE has changed its name to Settlement in Antigonish for Families from Everywhere (formerly Syria–Antigonish Families Embrace) to reflect its expanded mandate of bringing and welcoming families from everywhere.
It all began in 2015, when a group of community members set a goal of sponsoring and resettling one Syrian refugee family. When the group invited community members to a town-hall to get involved, the response was heartwarming. Using Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program, SAFE was established as a non-profit, charitable society named Syria–Antigonish Families Embrace (SAFE), with a mission to sponsor and resettle Syrian refugee families in Antigonish. Private sponsorship required SAFE to raise sponsorship funds (the amount is set by the Government of Canada) and provide newcomers with one year of comprehensive settlement assistance: finding housing, getting kids settled in schools and universities, helping adults obtain employment, enrolling them in language classes, helping them navigate the health system, and gradually develop a sense of belonging in their new community—their new home. SAFE continues to be run by a volunteer board and a large, diverse group of dedicated volunteers who devote thousands of hours every year—proud to be a truly community-led organization. SAFE has received the Nova Scotia Human Rights Award and the Town of Antigonish’s Good Neighbour Award.
In 2018, SAFE expanded its mandate by becoming a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH), registered with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). As a SAH, SAFE works with several Constituent and Co-sponsor Groups spread across Pictou to Inverness counties, operating as the only rural SAH in Nova Scotia. As of August 2025, SAFE has welcomed 167 newcomers displaced from Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Iraq, Rwanda, and Afghanistan, and has 10 applications pending or in process. Beyond the numbers, each family and individual has a unique story—so many heartwarming moments that keep SAFE and its volunteers going after these amazing ten years. SAFE both co-sponsors refugees identified by Immigration, Refuges and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as in need of resettlement and helps with family reunification through IRCC’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program.
Fundraising is critical to continuing our work. Donations are used to sponsor newcomers, cover basic operating costs and audit fees, and pay mandatory government or association fees. SAFE remains a completely volunteer-run organization, with a 10-member steering committee, partnerships with several Constituent Groups, and hundreds of amazing, dedicated community volunteers and friends. We believe it takes a whole village—each one of us—for newcomers to feel welcomed and to build their new home in Canada.
SAFE is deeply grateful to the many fellow community organizations that provide invaluable support to newcomer families, and to our community and institutional donors without whom this journey would not have been possible. SAFE has also partnered on several research projects, participating in and producing policy papers that provide local, provincial and federal governments with valuable insights about refugee settlement.
It all began in 2015, when a group of community members set a goal of sponsoring and resettling one Syrian refugee family. When the group invited community members to a town-hall to get involved, the response was heartwarming. Using Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program, SAFE was established as a non-profit, charitable society named Syria–Antigonish Families Embrace (SAFE), with a mission to sponsor and resettle Syrian refugee families in Antigonish. Private sponsorship required SAFE to raise sponsorship funds (the amount is set by the Government of Canada) and provide newcomers with one year of comprehensive settlement assistance: finding housing, getting kids settled in schools and universities, helping adults obtain employment, enrolling them in language classes, helping them navigate the health system, and gradually develop a sense of belonging in their new community—their new home. SAFE continues to be run by a volunteer board and a large, diverse group of dedicated volunteers who devote thousands of hours every year—proud to be a truly community-led organization. SAFE has received the Nova Scotia Human Rights Award and the Town of Antigonish’s Good Neighbour Award.
In 2018, SAFE expanded its mandate by becoming a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH), registered with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). As a SAH, SAFE works with several Constituent and Co-sponsor Groups spread across Pictou to Inverness counties, operating as the only rural SAH in Nova Scotia. As of August 2025, SAFE has welcomed 167 newcomers displaced from Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Iraq, Rwanda, and Afghanistan, and has 10 applications pending or in process. Beyond the numbers, each family and individual has a unique story—so many heartwarming moments that keep SAFE and its volunteers going after these amazing ten years. SAFE both co-sponsors refugees identified by Immigration, Refuges and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as in need of resettlement and helps with family reunification through IRCC’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program.
Fundraising is critical to continuing our work. Donations are used to sponsor newcomers, cover basic operating costs and audit fees, and pay mandatory government or association fees. SAFE remains a completely volunteer-run organization, with a 10-member steering committee, partnerships with several Constituent Groups, and hundreds of amazing, dedicated community volunteers and friends. We believe it takes a whole village—each one of us—for newcomers to feel welcomed and to build their new home in Canada.
SAFE is deeply grateful to the many fellow community organizations that provide invaluable support to newcomer families, and to our community and institutional donors without whom this journey would not have been possible. SAFE has also partnered on several research projects, participating in and producing policy papers that provide local, provincial and federal governments with valuable insights about refugee settlement.
|
How Can You Help?
There are a number of ways that you can contribute. Donations help us cover sponsorship and settlement services. We rely on a volunteer base and are always looking for community members to join us. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us for more information, or donate. |
Sponsorship
Canada's unique private sponsorship program is an opportunity for us and you to enrich our communities and provide a home for someone in need. We are committed to open sharing of our own lessons and resources and work with you, to help you become a CG, Sponsor or Co-Sponsor Group. |
Please Contribute to Our 10th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign