Ayham is new to Canada, he lives alone in Toronto while all of his family is back in Syria. A few weeks ago, he called 211 in search of a nearby settlement agency that supports the LGBTQ community and was referred to CultureLink.

He was working at a drugstore to gain Canadian experience while studying to upgrade his mechanical engineering degree. But the pandemic hit, leaving him isolated and feeling lonely. When he reached out to Dareen, he told her not only about how hard it had been to make new friends since he arrived but also about his difficulty to move due to back pain. Dareen became “his only friend”, and as any good friend would, she did her best to help him.

Dareen contacted Robin, one of our very passionate and dedicated volunteers. Robin and her family wasted no time. They purchased a new bed frame and mattress that they delivered to Ayham’s residence. They also got him a desk chair, so that he could continue studying without any discomfort.

With a bed and a chair, he was happy at home, but he still lacked social connections. Robin connected him with some friends in the LGBTQ community. Through these connections, Ayham will find new friends and someone to mentor him through his settlement process in Canada. He was also connected with 519, he got a referral for the Furniture Bank and received other donations/assistance.

“Dear Dareen & Robin, I hope you are well, I just wanted to say thank you so much for your support. I really appreciate you taking the time to call, message and visit me. I am happy to have this office chair and an AMAZING comfortable bed 😊.  Again, thank you so much, I greatly appreciate your assistance with my settlement here in Toronto.”