We are the Algonquin College public relations class of 2027. This year, in the 41st year of fundraising by Algonquin College PR students, we have chosen to support Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO). OCISO provides vital services for newcomers to Canada, from employment support and language instruction to youth programs and tax-filing workshops.

At a time when negative sentiment towards immigrants is increasing and organizations like OCISO are experiencing funding cuts, we believe our Culture2Culture campaign is more important than ever.

Inspired by the personal stories we heard from some of our classmates, we have conceived the Culture2Culture campaign as an opportunity for all of us to unite as a community around every newcomer’s hope for a better and kinder future. Your contributions to the campaign – whether through a donation, sponsorship, attendance at one of our events, or simply by spreading the word – will help us realize our vision of a community where all newcomers feel welcomed, supported and connected.