The current Syrian refugee crisis has prompted the Executive Committee to reactivate the CAUT Refugee Foundation. The Foundation was initially created in the 1970s to offer support to refugees fleeing Vietnam for Canada. The Foundation is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency, allowing it to issue tax receipts.

The Executive Committee is encouraging academic staff associations and their members to donate to the Foundation to support refugee relief and resettlement efforts. Funds collected on behalf of the Foundation will be provided to the Canadian Red Cross. The Red Cross and Red Crescent are supplying food, water and first aid to refugees across Southern Europe and the Middle East.

The Canadian government has pledged to match dollar-for-dollar every contribution that individual Canadians make to a registered Canadian charity for Syrian refugees until Dec. 31, 2015.

Cheques can be made to the order of the CAUT Refugee Foundation and sent to:

CAUT Refugee Foundation
2705 Queensview Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K2B 8K2