These two Canadian families have given up gifts and treats this holiday to support Syrian refugees

For Sabina Babayan, seeing the photo of 3-year old Alan Kurdi lying lifeless on a Turkish shore changed everything.

The image of the young refugee, who drowned along with his mother and brother while his family fled from Turkey to Greece, appeared on over 20 million screens in 12 hours according to research from Sheffield University’s Visual Social Media Lab. It galvanized global awareness about the growing Syrian refugee crisis and was named one of Time magazine’s most influential photos of 2015.

ALSO SEE: Aunt of Alan Kurdi, drowned Syrian boy, preparing for family’s arrival

Born in Iran and of Armenian descent, Babayan was already familiar with the crisis in Syria through the Armenian community in Canada, which has been sponsoring Armenian-Syrian refugees since the war’s early days. But for the new mother, seeing the photo of a lifeless child renewed her sense of urgency.

“That picture ruined me,” she says. “I will never, ever forget that image.”

A refugee herself, Babayan escaped war-torn Iran with her family, arriving in Canada in 1990. She is now a digital advertising specialist and makeup artist, currently on maternity leave with her 7-month-old daughter, Monroe.

Sabina Babayan, Jason Sparkes and Monroe. (photo: supplied)

Canada will soon be home to 25,000 Syrian newcomers arriving through hardship and hope like Babayan’s family before them, and that knowledge got her re-thinking this year’s Christmas gift exchange. When she suggested the family forgo gifts and focus on helping refugees instead, her husband, Jason Sparkes, quickly agreed. Soon her extended family was on board. Now instead of trading gifts, the family is stockpiling food items for refugees and looking forward to the holiday.

“Christmas is still going to be exactly what it was with or without gifts,” says Babayan. “It’s about family, eating lots of yummy food, and enjoying holiday classics on TV.”

Being of Middle Eastern descent, Babayan liked the idea of spending her donations on food, and has been putting together baskets of pantry essentials like rice, beans and spices. She’s working with a group of ad-hoc volunteers she found through a thread on a Facebook group called The Clothing Drive.

ALSO SEE: Syrian refugees arrive in Canada, which one family calls ‘paradise’

Sheri Gammon Dewling is the media and communications lead for The Clothing Drive, a Toronto organization that has collected over 30,000 pieces of clothing for incoming refugees. Like Babayan, Gammon Dewling was moved by stories of Syrian refugees, and determined to be on the right side of history by welcoming them.

An independent business consultant, Gammon Dewling has given up all but her most pressing client work to focus on The Clothing Drive. Her family, husband Shane Dewling and kids, Zoey (11) and Jack (8) are supportive – last month the kids organized a children’s clothing drive. Shane estimates that Sheri spends up to 17 hours a day volunteering.

Although the Dewling family will still be celebrating Christmas with gifts this year, they have made sacrifices, like giving up Tim Horton’s donuts and Starbucks frappuccinos to raise $10 a day for The Clothing Drive.

“We have enough food and water and a home to live in,” explains 11-year old Zoey. “With The Clothing Drive we’re giving stuff that we already have a lot of to people that don’t have any of it.”

“The message I want to get across is one of service, no matter how small,” says Sheri Gammon Dewling. “One person may not have $500 to give, but 50 people could give $10 each and make a difference together. One coat might not be a big deal to us, but to a child coming to Canada, it could be the warm hug she needs from her community.”

The Dewling family (photo: supplied)

And Sheri Gammon Dewling and Sabina Babayan are not alone. This holiday, untold numbers of Canadians will quietly give their time, money and support to newcomers arriving from Syria.

“I want them to know that they are welcome, that this country was built by refugees and immigrants, that there’s a place for everyone,” says Sabina Babayan. “A lot of us have been in their exact same position. There are resources and there’s help.”

The Dewling children have a message for incoming refugees too, especially the kids. Zoey wants them to know that Canadians welcome all people, “because that’s just who we are,” while Jack encourages them to try building a snowman as soon as possible.

“You need some buttons for the eyes and mouth and a top hat and a scarf,” he advises. “And a carrot nose!”