Maha Farooq & Hawi Wonswossen – Emergency Programs Interns
Escalation of Unhoused Asylum Seekers
Asylum seekers in Toronto have been facing a shelter crisis since early June; public attention grew as the number of asylum seekers camping outside the streets of downtown Toronto increased weekly. By July, a few dozen asylum seekers were spotted sleeping outside the City’s shelter intake centre on Peter Street. The asylum seekers stayed outside the intake centre in the hope that they would soon secure some form of housing. The reality was that the City’s shelter systems were at full capacity, and on top of that, no funding was available to accommodate the influx of refugees and asylum seekers seeking housing assistance. According to the City of Toronto, the total number of asylum seekers in the shelter system has multiplied by more than 500 percent over the past 20 months. Numbers have skyrocketed from 530 people a night in September of 2021 to almost 3,000 in May of 2023. Asylum seekers remained neglected as the federal and municipal governments began a long back-and-forth as to who should be responsible for the individuals.
The total number of asylum seekers sleeping on the street continued to grow in July, and local organizations began to take matters into their own hands. Ainsworth Morgan, co-founder of the 100 Strong Foundation, a non-profit that aims to empower Black boys to become leaders, played an important role in finding shelter for some of the refugees. He contacted Pastor Judith James at Revivaltime Tabernacle Church in North York, who immediately offered up her space to help. Dominion Church International Toronto followed suit, and together the two were able to take in close to 350 people. With an understanding of the possible gaps that would be present, GlobalMedic reached out to the churches to gain an understanding of how we could help. Equipped with this information, we activated our programs to support.
Interning During this Response – Maha
As a summer Emergency Programs Intern at GlobalMedic, I have had the opportunity to work on various emergency response projects. When GlobalMedic heard of the Toronto Asylum seeker situation and the work of the two North York churches, the team was quick to connect with the churches and strategize a response plan. Working in coordination with the churches that were accommodating over 300 individuals at the time, GlobalMedic mobilized a team to the scene, including myself. The first step was to identify the gap in needs in this situation, and what programs we could activate to support what was already being done. With the support of our funders and local partners, the RRT helped distribute aid in the form of linens, disco cots (beds), hygiene items, food, and vitamins. I went with the team to the warehouse to pack up the beds and to a hotel where the Gupta Family Foundation had generously donated clean and fresh linens and pillows for the beds.
Going to the churches and distributing the aid was a key learning moment for me as I was able to experience firsthand the importance of coordination and time management when providing relevant and meaningful aid. Seeing diverse members of the community come together at these churches and offer their help was such a powerful moment for my colleagues and I, and reminded us of the positive impact all of us can help bring forth. Witnessing firsthand the living conditions of asylum seekers in the impromptu church shelters, we knew that the facility had well past its limit. The WASH facilities, including toilets and showers, at the churches are not enough for everyone, resulting in long wait times and concerns over sanitation and hygiene standards. Additionally, the facilities did not have the means to provide laundry services, which adds to the issue of hygiene. In response to this, GlobalMedic worked to provide laundry access, by first establishing a safe connection point and ventilation, followed by a washer and dryer unit at Revivaltime Tabernacle. With access to clean clothes, the affected asylum seekers can reestablish good hygiene practices. Most importantly, placing a focus on their health and hygiene needs helps bring them a step closer to adequate living standards and maintains a person’s confidence and dignity.
Interning During this Response – Hawie
As an intern at GlobalMedic, I was able to experience our coordination efforts first hand. While the asylum seekers had a roof over their heads, there was still an overwhelming amount of need. A Rapid Response Team consisting of myself, an Emergency Programs Officer and trained volunteers was sent out to deliver the right aid to the right people at the right time. We visited Revivaltime Tabernacle Church, which was housing roughly 270 asylum seekers. We brought them essential hygiene products, like soap, shampoo and conditioner, vitamins, and a variety of non-perishable food items. The food we delivered was from GlobalMedic’s McAntony’s Menu program, an emergency food program designed to meet the food security needs in Toronto. We also delivered sleeping cots, and worked together to teach the asylum seekers how to correctly assemble them. Following our visit, we organized the delivery of a washing machine and dryer, along with different laundry supplies. This made it possible for asylum seekers to do their laundry without having to worry about travel or service costs.
As a daughter of refugees, I immediately empathized with the asylum seekers. I understood the challenges they may have experienced while trying to build a better life for themselves and their families. Being able to contribute to such a meaningful response was very impactful for me. I was also able to understand the importance of coordination in a domestic crisis, and observe the immediate impact of aid programming.
Ongoing Support
As Toronto continues to struggle with the refugee crisis, it’s clear that additional funding and coordination is needed. The situation requires serious attention, and as it evolves, GlobalMedic continues to offer its support. Working with local communities and organizations will only strengthen our efforts in creating comprehensive solutions and delivering aid to individuals that need it the most. Together, we can make a difference and support those who seek refuge in Canada.
