The difficult management of gifts to the refugees

Photo Frederique Giguere

QMI agency

Monday, 7 August 2017 21:18

UPDATE
Monday, 7 August 2017 21:18

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MONTREAL – While many centers have been opened to welcome the haitian immigrants, the logistics would be more difficult.

The immigrants would not always have access to products of basic hygiene.

This is particularly the case in the east of the island of Montreal, at Boscoville, crammed about 120 people for several days.

“These operational issues are being addressed. I have not been able to observe what you report on my trip. The situation to be under control”, explained the vice-president of the executive committee of the City of Montreal, Harout Chitilian.

The population is yet large to send equipment to the Red Cross, which, however, has not been given the mandate to collect and distribute the whole.

The City therefore intends to clarify the collection of donations, but nothing is provided to ensure an equitable distribution in the various centers.

“Today, the Centre de référence du Grand Montréal has finally clarified the procedure for material gifts, for volunteering and for donations of money,” said the director of the Office of the integration of newcomers in Montreal, Marie-Christine Ladouceur-Girard.

“There will be indications on the web site of the City,” she added.

In the meantime, volunteers are improvised crisis managers.

“We decided that we would install and create a system. What we do, therefore, is that we have a list where there are items for children, pregnant women, etc,” said one volunteer, Kevin Calixte.

“There’s a lot of children. It was thus the medication of base: Tempra, things to unclog the nose, diapers, formulas and baby,” added Rachelle Arthur.

These volunteers have created a page on Facebook under the name “Refugees in Montreal” to promote the different needs. They collect the donations in their housing, in addition to warehouses that they have hired at their own expense.