Northern Lights Refuge

Home
Canada
Ottawa, ON
Northern Lights Refuge

An Ottawa based LGBTQ+ refugee sponsorship team. Working in coordination with Capital Rainbow Refuge One from Africa and another from the Middle East.

Northern Lights Refuge (NLR) is a small group of volunteers in Canada’s Capital whose goal is to sponsor LGBTQ+ individuals who are in life threatening circumstances and bring them to Canada. We were formed in the spring of 2017 as a result of the efforts of one of our members who mobilized people to help out a gay male in the Middle East after hearing his story. We believe that every human being

has the right to live freely, openly and on equal terms. Unfortunately, in some places in the world, doing so can be extremely dangerous, and in some instances, can be life threatening. NLR raises money through various fundraising events and from wonderful supporters near and far. Beyond sponsorship, we provide settlement support following a newcomer's arrival in Canada as they start a new life in a country where they are free to be themselves. To date, we have successfully settled two newcomers from the Middle East, and have recently succeeded in bringing two more newcomers. Check us out on Instagram

Please note: Unfortunately, we cannot respond directly to those asking to be sponsored through our social media pages. Instead, we suggest you visit the Rainbow Railroad’s page at https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/gethelp, which contains information on how one can apply to be sponsored, along with other helpful resources.

06/06/2026

Trivia Question #3:
What is the name of the nightclub in the movie? (This should be an easy one to figure out!)

Place your answers in the comments! 👇

There are still tickets available for The Birdcage movie on June 25th at the Mayfair Theatre

Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

Doors open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Thank you for your continued support ❤️🙏

06/04/2026

The Maker House Co. 2026 Pride Box is now available!

NLR is extremely pleased to announce that our friends at Maker House Co. are once again supporting our fundraising efforts by including Northern Lights Refuge in the proceeds from sales of their very sought after Pride Box.

Maker House Co. has created even more excitement by expanding this year’s campaign to include other Pride related products they carry (a collection of around 35 items!), which will be available not only the entire Pride Month but up until around Capital Pride in August!

These items are likely to sell out, so ensure to get yours today!

Pride Gift Box at Maker House Co.:
https://makerhouse.com/products/pride-gift-box-2025

Other Maker House Co. Pride related products:
https://makerhouse.com/collections/pride

Northern Lights Refuge appreciates your support. Please consider making a donation to us at:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month from all of us at Northern Lights Refuge!
“Diversity is beautiful. We should celebrate the diversity of our community and respect each individual’s differences.“
— RuPaul
🫶🏳️‍🌈 🫶

05/31/2026

Trivia #2 Answer: Robin Williams

The late Robin Williams was a vocal ally who advocated for the q***r community, growing up in a theater family that fostered an atmosphere of acceptance. He demonstrated his support through supportive actions, including protecting costar Nathan Lane from being outed on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996, and playing supportive roles like in The Birdcage. He received an Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign for his support of gay rights and participated in the reading of Dustin Lance Black's "8".

Join us for the movie on June 25th at the Ottawa Mayfair Theatre
Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm
We asked: Which actor was originally cast as Albert but switched to play Armand?

05/25/2026

Trivia Question #2:
Which actor was originally cast as Albert but switched to play Armand?

Get your tickets now and come on out and join us for The Birdcage movie on June 25th at the Ottawa Mayfair Theatre.

Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm

05/17/2026

Answer to Trivia Question #1:
La Cage aux Folles!

La Cage aux Folles is a landmark Broadway musical with music/lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, centered on a gay couple running a drag nightclub in Saint-Tropez. The original 1983 production won six Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and broke barriers, while successful revivals ran in 2004 and 2010.

Be sure to join us for The Birdcage on June 25th at the Ottawa Mayfair Theatre
Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm

We asked: The Birdcage is a remake of what famous Broadway musical?

05/10/2026

Trivia Question #1: The Birdcage is a remake of what famous Broadway musical?

No Googling! Take your best guess and we will post the answer on May 12th!

Join us for the movie on June 25th at the Ottawa Mayfair Theatre
Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite:
https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm

05/02/2026

The Birdcage is hitting the big screen at the Ottawa Mayfair Theatre on June 25th.

Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

Check out the movie trailer here: https://youtu.be/Y46JSmjcpeM?si=Mp5HaoU9cv3XitMd

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/
Doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm

04/25/2026

The Birdcage is hitting the big screen at the Ottawa Mayfair Theatre on June 25th.

Plot: A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing, conservative parents. What ensues is comic chaos!!

Tickets are $20 per person:
- at the door (cash only)
- in advance on Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/2s4dd8kv

If you are unable to attend or would like to donate directly to our efforts please visit our donations page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie begins at 6:30pm .

Address

Ottawa, ON

Website

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/northern-lights-refuge/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Northern Lights Refuge posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Northern Lights Refuge:

Shortcuts

Featured

Humanics Institute
3468 Old Montreal Road (Cumberland)

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Ottawa?