Over the past year, the New Canadians Centre opened its arms to more than 2,000 people from more than 100 countries who immigrated to the Peterborough and Northumberland areas — the highest number in its 45-year history.
What started in 1979 as a modest group of community members sponsoring Vietnamese refugees has clearly grown substantially over the decades.
To mark its 45th anniversary this year, the non-profit organization has launched the #45for45 donation campaign — with the goal of raising $45,000 in donations towards programs and services that welcome and support newcomers to Canada.
The #45for45 donation campaign runs during the month of June.
“An anonymous donor has stepped up to match each dollar raised up to a total of $45,000,” the New Canadians Centre noted in a media release. “This means that every dollar raised will have double the impact.”
The New Canadians Centre offers services to immigrants and refugees and multicultural programming open to the community. The newest of these services is its life skills program, which aims to empower recent newcomers who need extra support.
Dr. Armand La Barge and his wife Denise are monthly donors and long-time supporters of the New Canadians Centre.
“We have witnessed firsthand the incredible work its dedicated team of staff and volunteers do to help immigrants, refugees and other newcomers feel included, valued and empowered,” La Barge said. “As proud Canadians, we can’t think of anything more Canadian than helping newcomers to our city feel welcome and at home.”
The 2,000 newcomers that the New Canadians Centre welcomed in 2022-23 arrived from 104 source countries and spoke 76 languages.
“This was the highest number of clients in our 45-year history — and a 50 per cent increase over the previous year,” the release noted. “Newcomers were represented across a broad stream of immigration pathways, underlying the complexity of their settlement journeys.”
Donations to the #45for45 can be made online at bit.ly/45for45NCC, by cheque made out to “New Canadians Centre,” or by e-transfer to give@nccpeterborough.ca.
The New Canadians Centre anticipates announcing in early July a tally of the money raised through the campaign.
With its mission to empower people who are new to Canada, so they can be recognized as equal and valued members of Canadian society, the New Canadians Centre provides leadership to cultivate their meaningful economic, social, and cultural inclusion in local communities.
Its goals are to invest in core programs and services that connect newcomers to services, each other, and the community, to create an environment where people who are new to Canada are valued by raising awareness of their positive contributions, and to break down barriers to their equitable access and participation.
“At the New Canadians Centre, we commit to making the pursuit of equity and inclusion our way of life,” its website states.
The organization strives to empower newcomers and refugees by convening a newcomer and refugee-led advisory group to advise on programs and services, engaging newcomers and refugees in training to respond to racism and discrimination, and helping newcomers and refugees navigate opportunities to be leaders in the community.
In early June, the New Canadians Centre will be launching its annual Multicultural Food Crawl — the first in a series of events through the month of June to celebrate the Canadian Multicultural Festival.
For more information about the New Canadians Centre, visit nccpeterborough.ca.
