Samantha Jackson and Farzin Yousefian were planning their March 2016 wedding when they both realized how many displaced Syrian families are suffering. Jackson, who works for Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge, and her fiance agreed their wedding could be more than a lavish party. It could help spread awareness of the crisis. So they cancelled their caterer and venue, and married on Thanksgiving weekend in Toronto City Hall. Their reception was a fundraiser. They hoped to raise $27,000, enough to privately sponsor a refugee family of four.
Jackson explained their wedding was a moment for everyone to come together and say Toronto welcomes refugees and "this is what we want our city to stand for." Her new husband admitted it's easy to get caught up in the negativity surrounding the refugee crisis, but "Canada is welcoming to refugees and now is the time to act." So far the couple has raised $22,000. To help, visit
http://www.ryerson.ca/lifelinesyria/
No comments:
Post a Comment