Islanders donated almost $30K to help Syrian refugees in December

Islanders donated close to $30,000 to help Syrian refugees during the month of December, according to officials with the P.E.I. Welcome Project.

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That money $29,989.05 to be exact will be used locally to help refugee families who have already arrived on P.E.I. or are coming.

"It's really nice to see that happen, because it all happened within a one-month period," said Welcome Project co-ordinator Hannah Jones, who is with the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada.

"It's been pretty significant and special to be able to receive that much money."

Jones said money that has been donated on P.E.I. will stay on the Island and go entirely toward both privately-sponsored and federally-assisted Syrian families.

But the federal government will also match donations made between December 1 and 31. That money will help Syrian families and others living in refugee camps around the world.

"So it helps those individuals there with safe drinking water and food and security and medicine while they are there," Jones said.

While the matching period is over, Jones said monetary donations are still accepted and needed.

Money given locally goes toward refugee families' basic needs and also helps to pay for things like personal medical equipment or making up a shortfall in rent.

Jones notes that in addition to the money, Islanders have been very generous with donations of goods, and the Welcome Project plansto open its donation centre again once they've taken stock of what's needed.

Jones said so far about seven Syrian refugee families have arrived on P.E.I.