New families are arriving in Saint John and the YMCA of Greater Saint John is looking for help with welcoming them to the city.
The First Friends initiative is designed to create a natural friendship between a newcomer and a local Saint Johner.
The Regional Y’s President Shilo Boucher tells CHSJ News they learned a lot about what newcomers arriving in Saint John need when 500 Syrians settled here beginning in late 2015.
“I really believe because of that effort, over 700 volunteers were involved, that’s why our retention in terms of people staying in our community, it’s part of that. We understood how much it meant for newcomers to be connected to the community immediately after they arrived.”
The Saint John Y is asking for help to fill the furniture bank at Lancaster Baptist Church.
