Vancouver—On Friday, April 29, the CLAC Foundation was pleased to present the staff of MOSAIC, one of the largest Canadian nonprofits that supports new immigrants, with a cheque representing their $100,000 commitment to the organization’s Migrant Workers Emergency Fund.
The event welcomed CLAC Foundation program manager Dan VanKeeken and the executive staff of MOSAIC, including Hugo Velazquez, senior manager of community outreach, advocacy and migrant worker programs, and CEO Olga Stachova. The cheque presentation was held at MOSAIC’s Boundary Road office.
“The CLAC Foundation was intrigued to learn of the important work that MOSAIC is doing in British Columbia,” says VanKeeken. “Our country needs hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to put food on our tables and to help bridge the growing employment gap. With the help of MOSAIC, these workers will find the support they need for a fulfilling and prosperous future in Canada.”
“We are incredibly grateful to the CLAC Foundation for their generosity and recognition of the important role migrant workers have in our province,” says Velazquez. “This donation will allow us to immediately support migrant workers in emergency situations.”
MOSAIC’s programs support migrant workers in a variety of ways, from training and job assistance to finding temporary accommodation and employment for those in abusive work situations. The Migrant Workers Emergency Fund in particular provides funds to workers whose homes are flooded or have been affected by fires, who have lost their jobs, who need medical assistance, who are suffering from domestic abuse, or who need to travel home for a variety of reasons.
Byron, one of the organization’s clients, agrees that the help he received from MOSAIC has changed his outlook on life.
“Now I know more about my rights and that I have a voice and can be heard,” explains Byron, who came to Canada from Guatemala to work at a construction company. “To those who are going through the same situation that I am going through, I would like to share that MOSAIC can provide you support when you need it—there’s someone there for you, and you are not alone.”
