Remaining agile in a time of uncertainty: Support Our Troops stands at the ready
Here’s how our operations team is working with Chaplains on the ground to effectively help those in need.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Support Our Troops recognizes now more than ever that Canadian Armed Forces members and their families may require financial support for basic needs. The new COVID-19 Emergency Grant offers $200 direct deposit payments for groceries and gas as immediate support while waiting for provincial or federal funds.
In support of OP Laser, we are working with various partners, including Base and Wing Chaplains, SISIP Financial Counsellors, and Military Family Resource Centres to ensure that our members and their families receive the support they need.
This has meant creating new programs and bolstering existing programs to meet the most immediate needs. Since mid-March, we have supported 51 military families who were struggling during the pandemic.
Here are just a few examples of how our Operations Team has been working with Chaplains on the ground to effectively help those in need:
- Repatriated 9 Canadian military families who were stationed abroad
- Provided financial assistance to several Class A Reservists who had been laid off from their civilian jobs
- Purchased and delivered groceries for a member who tested positive for the virus and was in quarantine at home
- Supported a military spouse who has a reduced immune system and could not work
- Subsidized alternative accommodation costs for members who have to self-isolate from their families
LCdr Wayne Sollows, Chaplain to the National Cadet & Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group and the Ottawa Naval Reserve Division, HMCS Carleton, shares his experience supporting reservists at this time:
“Chaplains care for all people in crisis and they're always looking for ways to prove support. That support is geared to care of the spirit, but it also relates to care of the physical, such as providing for day-to-day necessities.
“It’s been a blessing to be able to partner with CFMWS and, specifically, Support Our Troops, to find another source of help for members and their families during the COVID-19 crisis.
“I've been able to help some Reserve Force members, many whom are students, with extra money for groceries so they can pay their rent. A reservist who was particularly thankful for help covering groceries this month told me: “$200 might not sound like a lot, but to me it made a difference.”
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As the current situation evolves, so too will our provision of support. We stand at the ready, and we stand alongside our military community.
Could you or someone you know benefit from the COVID-19 Emergency Grant? Click here for information about the application process.
Are you interested in helping to provide immediate relief directly to members and their families? Make a donation today.