A non-profit organization is calling on the City of Burnaby to provide them with free leisure passes for refugees.
The passes could play an important part in involving refugees in community events and programs that they could not otherwise afford to participate in, according to the United Way of the Lower Mainland staff member Katie Bell.
“It’s just something extra that we thought would be nice for refugees to have,” Bell said. “It’s a way for them to integrate into events without digging into money they might not have.”
The organization has submitted a request to the Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission to receive 100 single-use leisure passes to distribute at the United Way’s upcoming lunch event to welcome refugees. The request was dated March 10, and the organization has yet to received a response from the city.
The written request states, “many newcomers are hesitant to approach new places and this allows them to access programs and services of interest with ease.”
The lunch will take place regardless of whether the organization receives the passes, Bell said, and will feature presentations from various community partners, such as the Burnaby Neighbourhood House and the RCMP. The presentations will provide refugees with information regarding the resources available to them.
The Refugee Welcome Lunch will take place April 16 at Edmonds Community School from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
