News and Events
OCRA presents: Opening Doors
Opening Doors Film & Fun for Family Reunification Join OCRA for an evening of film, games, music, great food and conversation with friends and neighbours in one of Ottawa’s newest independent breweries! May 4, [...]
Khaled Agha shares his experience coming to Canada as a refugee
This is the story of Khaled Agha, who came to Canada as a refugee in 2016 when he was 18 years old. He and his family are now settled in Ottawa, and he is hard at [...]
OCRA is back at the GGGS!
OCRA is having its second Great Glebe Garage Sale fundraiser! Help bring hope to a refugee and reunite refugee families! Since last year we have been working hard to raise the funds to sponsor [...]
“For 15 years, I felt incomplete”: a story of family reunification
One of the most important things in life is family, and it can be very difficult to live apart from them. The feeling that you're left out of a family event, forgetting what your [...]
Help reunite Syrian refugees – OCRA Video
Meet the Syrian refugees OCRA is looking to reunite with their families, and learn how you can help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce4NsW-EcwA
Joining Hands Dinner
Get your tickets now for OCRA's fundraising dinner on Friday, November 24, 2017 at 7 p.m. Your $60 will help us sponsor refugee families, and you'll enjoy a delicious and authentic Syrian meal prepared [...]
Lawn signs now available!
Show your support for OCRA and the community by purchasing a lawn sign! Signs are $20 (including H-bracket sign holder) and all proceeds go straight to sponsoring Syrian refugees. To purchase your own lawn sign: [...]
Canada Day Video from some OCRA families
OCRA is excited for Canada Day! Watch some of our families share birthday wishes and their favourite things about Canada. See the video here or watch and share it on facebook. Help us bring [...]
Tips for the Great Glebe Garage Sale – Interview with Angela
If you are planning to come to our fundraiser at the Great Glebe Garage Sale tomorrow, don't miss this video! Angela, one of our organizers, was on CTV Morning Live with some tips for the [...]
Don’t miss OCRA at the Great Glebe Garage Sale!
OCRA will be selling at this year’s GGGS! Stop by and get some bargains for a great cause! We will be set up at 164 and 166 Glebe Ave. (corner of Lyon St.). Proceeds will [...]
OCRA 2.0: Supporting family reunification
OCRA 2.0 is our ongoing effort to help our refugee families and to promote refugee settlement. The single most important issue that our refugee families have identified, over and over again, is the plight of [...]
Update and HUGE thank you to all our donors!!
We want to shout out a huge THANK YOU to all of the donors and volunteers involved in our 2016 settlement effort. What an amazing accomplishment by community members joining together in common cause, and [...]
OCRA in The Glebe Report
Members of OCRA teamed up to write an article for The Glebe Report. The 2.5 page spread appeared in the December 2016 issue. In the article they discuss how OCRA was formed, our story so [...]
Release of Senate Committee Report
Last week, the Senate Committee released their report - Finding Refuge in Canada: A Syrian Resettlement Story. As you may know, OCRA was asked to appear before the Senate Human Rights Committee in October – [...]
OCRA’s statement to the Senate Human Rights Committee
Angela Keller-Herzog at Senate Human Rights Committee hearing OCRA was asked to appear before the Senate Human Rights Committee on October 19, 2016. In our statement to the Committee we highlighted three areas [...]
Sunday Afternoon Jazz in aid of refugees
Join us on Sunday May 29th from 1-3pm!
Fundraiser – Sens v. Anaheim Ducks
Cheer on the Sens AND support Ottawa’s refugees! Want to see the Sens play the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, March 26th? Want to get a discount? Want to support Ottawa’s refugees at the same time? Ottawa’s legal [...]
Next OCRA Meeting March 5th
Time: 10am Saturday March 5 Venue: Centretown United Church, 507 Bank St Parking: Free parking at Glashan Public School across Bank St at 28 Arlington RSVP to OCRA613@gmail.com to help the setter-uppers have an idea of [...]
“Composing a Country” by Paul Dewar
On a winter afternoon in Ottawa the stories of 1979 meet the aspirations of 2016 A Canadian smile rooted in Vietnam welcomes the Syrian spirit that is looking for the steps to the Canadian dance [...]
Family of 6 arrives on Jan 13 2016
We were only sure that our Syrian friends had arrived after two of the four boys shyly pointed at their names written in Arabic on hand-painted signs as they glided down the escalator at Ottawa's [...]
Meetings and Arrivals!
January 13 was a busy and exciting day for the OCRA Team as we held another community meeting, and welcomed another family to the nation’s capital. The Centretown United Church on Bank Street opened their [...]
David Pare and his band The Howards OCRA Fundraiser
Ottawa peeps: mark your calendars for a concert on Jan. 22 by OCRA participant David Pare and his band The Howards. All proceeds to OCRA! Friday January 22 at Café Nostalgica at 601 Cumberland on [...]
Altered Egos Fundraiser @ Fatboys Southern Smokehouse
Altered Egos Fundraiser @ Fatboys Southern Smokehouse on Saturday, February 20th at 9pm.
OCRA Meet and Greet with our new MP – Catherine McKenna!
On a blustery day in early January, a handful of folks from the OCRA Steering Committee stopped in for a quick visit and a chat with our new Ottawa Centre MP, Catherine McKenna. Having just [...]
OCRA’s First Arrivals!
After months of planning, meetings and fundraising, the day had finally arrived – OCRA’s first refugee sponsorship family landed in Ottawa, on a cool winter night in late December. It seems fitting that Ayda and [...]
OCRA Community Meeting – December 12, 2015
Hello everyone, and welcome to OCRA’s very first blog post! We hope you’ll find this information useful to stay informed about our activities, and learn more about what we do. Let’s kick off this inaugural [...]