Real people. Real outcomes. Real community.

Group of people outdoors, some wearing white shirts with 'ROAR' logo, standing on grass with trees in the background, smiling and posing for the photo.

Since 2016, ROAR volunteers in Nanaimo have worked to make Vancouver Island a safe haven for LGBTQI+ refugees fleeing persecution.

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9

LGBTQI+ refugees brought to safety

4

Waiting to come to Nanaimo

426

Members of our community newsletter

2

Currently in their first year in Nanaimo

12

Sponsorship groups active since 2016

Financial Transparency

ROAR is a registered Canadian charity and a lean, volunteer-run organization. We keep administration costs low so that the maximum portion of every donation goes directly to refugee support.

All donations to ROAR go toward refugee settlement costs: housing, food, language classes, transportation, and the other essentials that help newcomers find their footing and move toward financial independence. All gifts are tax-deductible and donors receive an official tax receipt.

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Making a difference. One person at a time

Featured
Original Art, Created with Hope and Love
Original Art, Created with Hope and Love

This year's Picnic en Blanc will feature something special: a set of four original postcards created by an artist whose sponsorship application is currently being processed by one of ROAR's sponsorship groups.

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ROAR Is Now a Registered Canadian Charity
ROAR Is Now a Registered Canadian Charity

After nearly two years as an incorporated BC society, Reaching Out Assisting Refugees has reached a milestone we have been working toward since our earliest days: ROAR is now a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency.

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From Nanaimo to Parliament Hill: ROAR’s Voice Reaches Ottawa
From Nanaimo to Parliament Hill: ROAR’s Voice Reaches Ottawa

On March 9, 2026, something remarkable happened. Horst Backé, ROAR’s board chair, sat before the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Canadian Parliament alongside Steven Kabuye and Meddie Ssentongo — two people whose journeys to safety ROAR helped make possible.

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Learn more about ROAR’s work in our Stories of Impact section

There is a place for you in this work.

Five people standing in front of a white garage door, holding a large check made out to ROAR for ten thousand nine hundred dollars, dated March 2022, with the description '100 Women Who Care Mid-Island.'

Donate

Your donation helps cover housing, food, clothing, start-up costs, and everyday essentials for an LGBTQI+ refugee in their first year in Canada.

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Sponsor

Join or start a sponsorship group and commit to supporting one person's new life in Nanaimo for one year.

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Become a member, sign up for our monthly email, and/or follow us on social media to stay close to the work.

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