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Sida
My name is Sida Javan, a proud Iranian woman. I moved to Canada due to the insecurities in my home country. I'm well educated with a master's degree and have held jobs both as an architect and yoga instructor, despite the challenges of being a woman in Iran. I hold close to my heart the values of freedom and human rights, especially gender equality. My experiences in Iran not only fuel my future aspirations but also shape my perspective on life.
Gabriel
My name is Gabriel Lawyer, but you can call me Gabriel Hanson. I'm 33 years old and originally from the Central Region of Ghana. Back home, I left behind a loving family – my parents, three siblings, and my dear wife and sweet daughter. I decided to come to Canada because I was afraid of being harmed, and even though it was heartbreaking to leave my family, I knew I had to find safety and a better future.
Refugees post requests for help, Canadians post offers to help. You select who, how and when you help. 30 minutes is enough to help a refugee.
Help a refugee in your community, today.
It's Safe.
We are a registered Canadian charity (758177547RR0001).
We have verified the IDs of all 7,000+ users on Haven. Verify online or with someone from our team.
It's Easy.
Help as much as you want, however you want, whenever you want.
No commitments. Pause your help and restart whenever.
It's Rewarding.
Get to personally meet refugees and see your impact.
We guarantee that helping on Haven will be one of the most inspiring experiences of your life.
Our easiest way to help
All the ways you can support a refugee.
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LANGUAGE
Practice English/French through a 30 min chat, in-person or online.
MENTOR
Resume support and hiring to help a refugee secure their first Canadian job.
FURNISH
Donate furniture or other items to refugees.
HOST
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Short-term housing for those arriving in Canada.
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Hold on, what exactly is Haven?We are a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto, but operating nationally. More refugees are coming to Canada than ever before, and we believe that Canadians and companies can help. By making it easier to know who and how to help, and by using technology, we want to make Canada the best country in the world at resettling refugees.
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Is Haven safe? Why do I need to verify my ID?We verify the ID of every Canadian who joins our platform. This means that everyone on the platform has verified, with a piece of government ID, that they are who they say they are. You can verify your ID on Haven through one of two methods. First, you can verify online instantly during sign-up using our partner Certn, a Canada-based leader in ID verification. Its 100% safe and free. However, if you're thinking "Hey, I don't want my ID sent somewhere electronically", we have a solution - book a 15 minute call with someone from our team. You'll be able to do this in the sign-up process. Lastly, if you're interested in hosting refugees in your home, we do require a police record check. You can do this through our platform (Certn facilitates the check) for a small fee to Certn.
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How much time do I need to commit to helping?30 minutes - that's it. That's enough to meet a refugee and help them in one way. From there, you're free to help as little or as much as you want, as frequently or infrequently as you want. Don't think of Haven as a big commitment. Rather, its a flexible way to get involved in directly supporting refugees and newcomers fleeing conflict - however you want, whenever you can.
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What are the exact types of help I can offer?We recommend that everyone start with our easiest form of helping: having a 30 minute conversation with a refugee who is looking for Language practice. From there, you can help with any of our other forms of help, such as Resume help, Networking to build a refugee's professional network, giving Free Items like furniture, Welcoming refugees to your city, Hosting of refugees for their first few weeks in Canada, and anything else you can think of in our Other category!
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I've never helped refugees before. Can I still help?Of course. Refugees are just like you, only they had to leave home because of conflict. Although its tough to put yourself in their shoes, its easy to imagine their needs once they get to Canada - feeling comfortable speaking in English or French, a safe home, a meaningful job, a new group of friends and contacts. Refugees lose everything when they are forced to leave home. You can help, even if its just by meeting a refugee family and welcoming them to your community.