Habbous, a member of St Philip's congregation from Syria, applied to sponsor her sister’s family as refuges to Canada and was rejected for 4 years in a row. In mid-May 2026 she was informed that a sponsorship spot had opened at the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, the Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH). A Constituent Group was formed to partner with the ICA for this application, including individual members of St. Philip, St. Barnabas, and Broadview United Church.
The sponsorship group must raise $42,450 by July 31, 2026. Every sponsorship has the same deadline. Meeting the amount raised by the financial deadline determines if the application will continue to be processed. We then need to continue to raise funds to a minimum of $60,000 to support the family when they arrive in Victoria.
With God's help, we can do this.
From Habbous Deeb:
I came to Canada in 2016 with my family as refugees, after fleeing the war in Syria. Canada has given me safety, stability, and the chance to rebuild my life. Now, I am trying to give my sister and her family the same opportunity for a better future.
My sister left Syria with her three daughters carrying only a few bags, and leaving a lifetime of memories behind her. The war took away the safety of home, the comfort of family gatherings, and the future they imagined. Returning was no longer possible, so they escaped to Lebanon hoping it would be temporary.
Life in exile has not been easy. They live with uncertainty, financial hardship, and constant worry about the future. My sister’s husband also suffered religious discrimination and persecution at his previous job because of his beliefs, which eventually forced him to leave his work and flee alongside his family in search of safety and dignity.
Today, I finally have the opportunity to privately sponsor my sister and her family so they can rebuild their lives in peace and security.
This sponsorship is more than paperwork — it is a chance for children to grow up without fear, for parents to work and live with dignity, and for a family torn apart by war and persecution to finally have stability and hope again.
Any support, compassion, or understanding means more than words can express. Helping this family means giving them the opportunity to begin a new chapter after years of hardship. The situation in Lebanon is getting worse daily, and your financial support will help us to bring them here to Victoria.
Ways to donate:
1. Cash: in person to Dana, Habbous, Jordie or Anna in the St. Philip office. Please do not send cash in the mail! No receipt or tax receipt will be provided. This is the most welcome method, as our operating fund bank account is currently very small.
2. Cheque with tax receipt: payable to “Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria” AND note in memo line: CG 236-26. You will receive a tax receipt. Be sure your contact information including your email address is on the cheque and any envelope. Cheques can be given to Dana, Jordie, or Habbous, or left in the OFFICE mail file on the counter in the parish office for pickup.
3. Cheque without tax receipt: payable to “Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria In Trust” AND note in memo line: CG 236-26.
4. Online: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E335022QE&id=9 AND SELECT CG 236-26 in the Constituent Group drop-down menu, currently the last one in the list.
**Please note that donations for this cause cannot go through the parish accounts, so parishioners should not donate to it via their regular St Philip offering envelopes.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact Dana Reiter via the church office: admin@stphilipvictoria.ca, 250-5926823.
Fundraising events:
All events will include a silent auction.