Who We Are

Welcome to Our Community!

At Journey Home Community, we offer transitional housing, settlement assistance and relational support to refugee claimant families.

Our vision is to welcome refugees into a community where they experience hope and belonging, meaningful relationships, a place to give and receive, a safe place to call home, and access to available systems and resources. We believe this type of welcome will promote flourishing in their new country. You can play apart in creating this type of community. Join us in drawing alongside families who arrive with few resources and fewer options, offering them community and care.

Our Mission

Inspired by God’s love, we are creating caring communities that offer refugee claimants housing, settlement support, and opportunities for connection.

Our Vision

We envision a society where all refugees experience hope and belonging as they engage in meaningful participation in their community and flourish in all aspects of life.

Our Values

Christ-centredness

Motivated by God's love and compassion for all, as shown through Jesus Christ, we aim to faithfully live out the Biblical teaching to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Relational Care

Aspiring to foster a space of trust and safety, we invite each person into a community of care, with an emphasis on building relationships and learning from one another.

Dignity

Believing that all people are created equal in the image of God, we respect and affirm the inherent dignity and value of each individual, regardless of race, religion, political opinion, sexual orientation, or social group.

Holistic Support

Recognizing the importance of caring for the whole person, we strive to provide support for the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of each person.

Prayer

Rooted in prayerful reflection, we continually seek to cultivate a culture of thoughtfulness, contemplation, and reliance on God.

Our Story

It all started when a small community group in Willingdon Church became aware that refugee claimant families were arriving homeless, isolated, with no one to welcome them. The fellowship group knew they must act.

In late 2005, when we began officially as Journey Home Community, we were a grassroots organization with a very low budget. We were mostly funded by a few committed volunteers. Our board consisted of three people who met regularly to try to get the most urgent items of business on track. That year we assisted four refugee families in the best way we could.

James Grunau was part of that small group. He left his business career behind to become our first Executive Director. The years since have been a time of major transition. We have moved from that small but important mission of supporting a few refugee claimant families with housing, support and friendship, to a broader vision of meeting the needs of hundreds of refugees who are claiming asylum in Metro Vancouver each year.

With our desire to meet the needs of the ever growing number of those claiming asylum, we have looked for ways to expand. Now with years of experience and a skilled team of staff and volunteers, we continue to see resilient families make a life for themselves. We are honored to walk alongside them in their journey. In 2022 we saw our biggest impact where we helped 184 refugees settle.

A Letter from Brad

Executive Director

I’ve been working at Journey Home Community since 2009. I love it here and I love the work we do. Here is why…

First, I am so touched by the compassion, heart, and love of each of the remarkable people on our team. My colleagues’ dedication and desire to see refugee claimants flourish is truly inspiring.

Second, I’m moved by the resilience, courage, and strength of the refugee claimants that enter our community. They arrive with a vulnerability and sense of trust that quickly forges new relationships. This is a hopeful group of people who want to contribute and belong. It is so exciting to see newcomers form deep bonds with one another, and with staff and volunteers. I love hearing the words, “Journey Home has become my family.”

Third, it’s truly rewarding to be a part of a community where people move quickly from chaos to stability. A little bit of care, words of prayer and encouragement, and a few practical supports such as housing and help with basic needs communicates so much to a person who has suffered persecution and displacement. It says, you matter. It offers dignity. And it says, you belong. This is Good News that transforms people’s lives!

Journey Home Community changes you. For me, it is a spiritual experience leading to a living encounter with the God of Good News. Walking alongside refugee claimants gifts you with a diversity of relationships, exposes you to different cultures, and opens you up to new life perspectives. It is a privilege to belong to this community and I do hope you join me on this journey.