Canadian businessman and CEO of Danby Appliances, Jim Estill, is one of 10 people who received the 2017 Heroes of the Global Campaign Against Extremism and Intolerance award from The Global Hope Coalition Leadership Summit on Monday.
Back in 2015, Estill used $1.5 million of his own money to sponsor 58 Syrian refugee families - approximately more than 250 people - when they fled to Guelph, Ontario because of the war.
He supplied them with everything from housing, food, clothing to even English language lessons.
He mobilized his networks in order to provide work opportunities and career counseling and even helped some set up their own businesses.
Estill organized a meeting in which he asked for the participation of many of the city’s religious and aid organizations, during which approximately 800 people volunteered to help.
On Monday, Estill was joined by many high-profile figures at the ceremony such as former U.S. first lady Laura Bush, Iraq's President Fuad Masum, and Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.
The Global Hope Coalition is a fairly new international initiative formed in 2016 by three not-for-profit foundations based in New York, Zurich, and Hong Kong.
GHC aims to establish a global platform where 'Everyday Heroes' who fight against violent extremism and intolerance, preserve cultural heritage, and build bridges across cultures are honored.
