The ADRP 2025 Service Project

The Refugee Centre – Le Centre de Réfugiés 

Founded in Montreal, Quebec in 2015, The Refugee Centre is a non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating the settlement and integration of newcomers into the broader Montreal community. The organization is grounded in a holistic and sustainable approach to support, offering a variety of services encompassing economic, educational, wellness, legal, and social integration.

A fundamental component of The Refugee Centre’s mandate is to adaptively respond to the evolving needs of the community. Recently, we have noticed a dangerous gap in newcomers’ access to basic needs. To respond to this pressing issue, we have introduced the Pay it Forward Fund. The Pay it Forward Fund is a community-driven initiative with a meaningful impact. This fund provides us with the flexibility to meet urgent basic needs, such as food, hygiene products, prescriptions, rent money, school supplies, and so much more. By addressing the immediate needs of individuals and families, we support them in overcoming challenging circumstances and moving towards a more stable and sustainable future.

Ways to Support:

While The Refugee Centre has many areas of support, as described above, their most pressing need is ensuring newcomers in the community have access to basic needs like hygiene products, food, school supplies, etc. Therefore, ADRPs service project will be to support the Centre in providing these needs to their constituents. There are three ways that attendees can participate in this service project. 

1) Direct Donation to the Pay it Forward Fund

Attendees can make a donation to the fund, from which 100% of their donation will go to providing basic needs.

Donate Now

2) Contribute to a Gift Basket

During the conference, attendees can assist with building gift baskets (of essential items) that will be donated to The Refugee Centre for delivery/distribution to members of the community with the most urgent needs. Attendees are invited to bring a small essential need item with them to include in gift baskets that will be sent to the Centre at the close of the conference. Essential items of most value include:
  1. Hygiene products (soaps, cleaning products, toiletries etc.)
  2. Clothing (socks, hats/toques, gloves, etc.)
  3. School supplies (Writing material, geometry sets, calculators etc.) 

3) Word of Welcome

Attendees will have an opportunity to write words of welcome and/or encouragement to newcomers to Canada. Members can choose to bring a postcard from their city or use stationery provide on site.