VERONICA
After years of seeking protection from threats of violence from armed group forces in Columbia, Veronica Mora and her husband arrived in Canada in June 2009, seeking Refugee Protection. They had to start completely from scratch, rebuilding their lives in a new country where they hoped they would finally be safe. Their journey begun at the Family Residence Shelter, where they lived for 3 months and were then able to move into an unfurnished apartment. They came to Furniture Bank as clients and were able to furnish their home. “After being blessed with so much aid” says Veronica, “we wanted to give back and our first thought went to Furniture Bank. We understand the essential service that is offered by this organization to newcomers that would not otherwise be able to get a cabinet for clothing, a dining table to share a meal or, more importantly, a bed where to sleep.”
Veronica and her husband started volunteering for Furniture Bank in November 2009, assisting clients such as themselves to select the essential furnishing for their homes. This allowed them to practice speaking English and to gain valuable experience in a Canadian job market. After six months as a volunteer, Furniture Bank offered Veronica a job in Client Services and this has allowed her family to feel more completely integrated to Canada.
“As a professional in International Relations in Columbia, my employment dream was to be able to work in a non-profit organization with a culturally diverse environment,” Veronica explains, “and I have Furniture Bank to thank for finally making my dream come true in this giving and wonderful country that I am grateful to now call home.
” Having Veronica in Client Services is a blessing for us as well. Her professional and cheerful manner, her intelligence and her language skills make her a great asset to our organization and our clients.
