Bringing Hope to Newcomer Families with Catholic Crosscultural Services

Helping Newcomers Feel at Home

For more than 65 years, Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS) has supported immigrants, refugees and newcomers as they build new lives in Canada. The community-based organization helps individuals and families settle, build connections, access essential services and feel at home in their communities.

CCS serves newcomer families across the Greater Toronto Area, including Scarborough, Toronto and Peel, with services available in more than 30 languages. “We serve newcomers, immigrants, refugees and their families,” says Farhana, helping people navigate the challenges that come with starting over in a new country.

For newcomer families, settling into life in Canada can come with significant financial challenges. Many families are establishing their first homes while navigating new systems, finding employment and meeting their basic needs.

How Holiday Helpers Supports Newcomer Families

While CCS provides settlement services and helps newcomers access resources, the organization does not have programs that provide this type of material assistance. That is where partnerships like Holiday Helpers can make a meaningful difference.

“Partnerships like Holiday Helpers are incredibly important in helping us address this gap,” Farhana explains. Through Holiday Helpers, families can receive winter clothing, shoes, grocery cards, household essentials and gifts for their children, providing tangible support while they establish their new lives in Canada.

“Holiday Helpers provides tangible support that families may otherwise have difficulty accessing,” she says. This additional support can help ease some of the financial pressure families experience while giving them the opportunity to focus on building stability and settling into their new communities.

For families experiencing their first holiday season in Canada, that support can be especially meaningful. “This partnership allows us to support the whole family in a more meaningful way and helps newcomer families feel welcomed, cared for, and connected to their community.”

Making a Difference During a Family’s First Year in Canada

Farhana has seen firsthand how Holiday Helpers can impact newcomer families, particularly those who have recently arrived in Canada from war-torn countries with limited financial resources. As families work to establish their first homes and meet their basic needs, access to essential items and holiday gifts can provide much-needed relief.

“We have heard from families how deeply grateful they were to have their wish lists fulfilled and to see their children receive gifts and essentials that they may not otherwise have been able to afford,” Farhana says.

For children, receiving gifts and holiday essentials can bring a sense of excitement and joy during the holiday season. For parents, the support can offer something just as important: relief and reassurance during an already challenging period of transition.

“At CCS, we are incredibly grateful to Holiday Helpers and its donors for the meaningful difference they continue to make in the lives of newcomer families.”