| Recipient: | Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada |
|---|---|
| Project: | A Beacon of Hope |
| Province: | Nova Scotia |
| Period: | Fiscal year 2018-2019 |
| Funding: | $840,000 |
Overview:
Veteran Emergency Transition Services (VETS) Canada is a federally registered non-profit charity that works within Canadian communities to identify homeless Veterans, provide them with emergency support, and quickly re-establish the bond that exists between soldiers. VETS Canada will bolster their everyday operations and continue their program, A Beacon of Hope, which provides support for homeless Veterans including former RCMP. Their main areas of focus are homelessness, mental health, suicide prevention, transition to life after service, and more.
Project Goals:
This project aimed to:
- Provide assistance to each homeless Veteran and to those threatened by homelessness, including their families;
- Build capacity within the non-profit and volunteer sectors on issues specific to Veterans and their families as they relate to homelessness; and
- Encourage coordination between multiple stakeholders such as other levels of government, Veterans’ charities and agencies in every province.
Project Activities:
The activities of this project included:
- Assisting homeless Veterans in acquiring accommodation;
- Assisting Veterans in obtaining long-term funding for that accommodation; and
- Connecting Veterans with a Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) case manager to access programs.
Project Results:
During the 18-month period of the project, VETS Canada supported 654 Veterans in crisis and/or homeless, which was 53 more than forecasted. Assistance provided included 238 rent payments, food provisions on 673 separate occasions, and 180 utilities payments.
To build capacity, VETS Canada raised awareness and encouraged dialogue regarding Veteran homelessness, shared expertise regarding how to effectively address the issue while promoting the availability of services for Veterans in need. Activities to support these efforts included Boots on the Ground Walks where volunteers patrolled the streets and visited shelters in search of homeless Veterans and to raise awareness of services among shelter staff and local businesses. Forty-two of these Boots on the Ground Walks occurred during this project.
Participation in multiple community initiatives occurred during the project, increasing awareness and understanding of services. These events occurred across the country and included several presentations to key community organizations, such as Rotary Clubs, First Nations groups, and the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.