Welcome Homes
Welcome Homes are Permanent Journey Home Community Transitional Homes.
In a posture of friendship and community support, Welcome Homes offers short term housing (3-4 months) followed by support to move into more permanent homes (subsidized or market rentals). Staff provide wrap-around case management from intake until the results of the refugee determination hearing (9-12 months on average).
After using up their resources to get to the safety of Canada, many refugee claimants arrive in Metro Vancouver with limited options. Some end up homeless and vulnerable. Being welcomed into one of our Welcome Homes prevents this.
How We Help
Settlement Support
Upon arriving in Canada there can be lots of stress around all the settlement tasks that need to be completed on a timeline.
Our experienced settlement team, along with carefully selected and trained volunteers, walk alongside refugee claimants to answer their questions and help them problem-solve issues they may encounter. For example, our team helps with applications for welfare (income assistance) and setting up a bank account. We can help refugee claimants apply for legal aid to obtain a lawyer to prepare their refugee claim. We also connect them with other helpful community services.
Short Term, Emergency Housing
For newly arrived refugee claimants, we understand that housing is often the biggest concern.
Our Welcome Homes Program offers two housing styles: community living with house hosts and private units — both furnished and ready for their arrival. Individuals/families are placed in the space that is available. All of our housing is only short term to allow refugee claimants time to gain stability in Canada and apply for your next stage housing.
In this program, refugee claimants will encounter a welcoming space where Journey Home's Housing Host works to help create community and provide orienation to community living with other refugee families.
Opportunities for Connection
We recognize that there is often a great deal of grief associated with what refugee claimants experienced in their home country including saying goodbye to family, friends, and a way of life. We are here to listen and provide care. Journey Home Community provides opportunities for refugee claimants to meet other refugee families, connect with a Canadian volunteer, and participate in community meals and yearly celebrations. We offer Journey Home Community as a place to find friendship and the support that is needed as they settle in Canada.
Marleni’s Journey from Abuse to Safety
Marleni lived in the tranquil Peruvian countryside, where she spent her childhood surrounded by the beauty of nature and the warmth of her family. However, the idyllic scenes of her youth were abruptly shattered when a terrorist group seized control of their region. The once-peaceful life she knew was turned upside down, and her family was forcibly scattered across Peru.
Decades later, Marleni still carries the heavy burden of that fateful event. "From that moment on, we never lived together again as a family," she recalls with a sense of longing that time cannot erase.
As she navigated the tumultuous waters of life, Marleni found herself trapped in an abusive marriage. When she summoned the courage to seek help from her family, she was met with disbelief and indifference, especially from her father. Instead of finding support and solace, she was told to endure the torment of her abusive spouse.
Recognizing the need for change, she made a daring escape to the United States, leaving behind the horrors of her marriage. Her primary goal was to reunite with her beloved daughter.
However, the United States did not grant asylum to those fleeing domestic or physical abuse at the time. Marleni and her daughter faced the daunting possibility of deportation, returning to a perilous situation in Peru due to threats from her influential ex-husband.
Driven by fear for their safety and desperate for refuge, Marleni and her family embarked on a challenging journey northward. They crossed the Canadian border through dense, overgrown blackberry bushes, seeking asylum in an unfamiliar land.
Their arrival in Canada was marked by uncertainty. They found themselves in a foreign place, without financial resources or a place to call home. The uncertainty weighed heavily on their minds. It was at this critical moment that Journey Home Community extended a helping hand.
A resident host from Journey Home welcomed Marleni and her family with a simple yet heartfelt greeting: "Welcome to your home." Those words brought Marleni a profound sense of relief and hope in a time of need.
Under the compassionate care of Journey Home Community, Marleni and her family found more than just shelter. They discovered a sense of belonging within a community that understood their struggles and shared their dreams. Their journey from chaos to community had begun.
Marleni's determination and resilience did not go unnoticed. In 2018, she joined the Journey Home Community Board of Directors. Her personal experiences, coupled with her valuable skills, now play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the very community that provided her with a lifeline.
Today, Marleni serves as an example of the resilience of the human spirit. Her journey from the Peruvian countryside to the United States and eventually to Canada is a testament to the power of courage, compassion, and community.
Marleni's story is not just one of survival; it's a tale of transformation and triumph. It reminds us that, even in challenging times, hope can be rekindled, and new beginnings can emerge from adversity. Marleni's journey inspires us to continue our work at Journey Home Community, offering a safe haven and a welcoming community to those seeking refuge and an opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Do You Want to Support More Story’s Like Marleni’s?
To fully fund our housing and settlement, we rely on the generosity of individuals and foundations so we can continue this critical work.