National Organization or Group

Founded in 2012, Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur (POE) has become the hub of entrepreneurship for the Canadian military community. By engaging military, civilian, academic, and corporate collaborators, plus hundreds of volunteers, POE provides a continuum of training and support services needed for veterans and their families to start and grow successful businesses. As of Fall 2018, 449 have graduated from one of 23 seven-day business boot camps and started over 370 businesses; 2000 could-be entrepreneurs have explored second career options at one of 83 introductory one-day workshops; and hundreds more have taken advantage of easily accessible online support services and confidence boosting networking opportunities.

In 2016, POE launched the online business directory: www.buyveteran.ca. Its annual #buyveteran campaign draws the attention of 1.1 million Canadians providing them the opportunity to support veterans and their families year-round. The 2018 campaign launched on November 1.

A program of Prince’s Trust Canada and with support from generous sponsors, all of POE’s programs and services are offered free.

Paws Fur Thought is an initiative that fundraises and matches service dogs with Veterans and First Responders in need. Inspired by his service dog, Thai, Medric Cousineau, a decorated RCAF Captain (Ret’d) who was awarded the Star of Courage, co-founded Paws Fur Thought with Jocelyn Cousineau in 2013. The Paws Team has a variety of team members from different backgrounds and specialties. Since its launch, the organization has successfully paired over more than 90 Veterans and First Responders with service dogs.

Launched in 2010, The Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Command’s Leave the Streets Behind program provides outreach, emergency shelter, transition housing, financial assistance and access to addiction and counselling services to homeless and at-risk Veterans across Ontario. To date, the program has helped over 500 Veterans get off the street and assisted in providing permanent housing to over 250 homeless Veterans. With the success of this program, The Royal Canadian Legion launched the national Leave the Streets Behind program in 2012 to assist homeless and at-risk Veterans across the country. The importance of this program as a building block to assist homeless Veterans across Ontario and then extended nationally cannot be understated. Through its exceptional leadership, initiative and dedication Ontario Command has been instrumental in establishing a national initiative linking all levels of government and community resources to ensure that homeless Veterans get access to the resources they need.

As the nation’s leading uniformed service mental health provider, Wounded Warriors Canada is dedicated to honouring and supporting ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Standing by their guiding ethos to “Honour the Fallen and Help the Living”, Wounded Warriors Canada works alongside their national clinical team to support the well-being of approximately 2,000 individuals each year.

They offer eight core programs in the following categories: Group-Based Trauma Programs, Animal Assisted Therapy, Resiliency Training & Research, Children and Youth programming.

Wounded Warriors Canada’s innovative COPE program (Couples Overcoming PTSD Every Day) is Canada’s leading couples-based trauma program for those affected by Operational Stress Injuries. It is also their first internationally recognized program.

Through their initiatives, Wounded Warriors Canada has transformed the lives of many individuals by creating an environment of compassion, resiliency and hope.

Veteran wellbeing is one of four strategic priorities for the National Association of Federal Retirees , an organization that has been advocating for retired members of the Federal Public Service, including retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their families for over 57 years. Federal Retirees’ work on behalf of its 60,000 Veteran associated members has been outstanding.

In 2017, the Association conducted research to determine the needs of Veterans to influence policy and ensure all Veterans and their families are adequately and equitably supported. The research included the initiation of online surveys and 12 Veteran town halls across Canada, which resulted in the publication of a substantial report and two Veterans summits that brought stakeholders together to support better cross-promotion, inclusion and collaboration to deliver better outcomes for Veterans.

Canada Company: Many Ways to Serve was formed in 2006 to protect the legacy of Canada’s soldiers, and leverage their unique skills and experience to improve our nation. The organization has expanded its reach and programming since that time, and a pillar of its work is a scholarship program, which provides children who have lost a parent in military service with $4,000 a year for four years. To date, $774,000 has been allocated to 72 students to support them in attaining a college or university education.

While this generous funding provides for the recipients and their families, the benefit goes beyond financial assistance. Every year, Canada Company brings each recipient and a guest to Toronto to attend a scholarship ceremony. Through this event, the students meet others who have a shared experience—they have all lost a parent in service to their country. Often for the first time ever, they are able to connect with other young people who can relate to their loss and benefit from the peer support.

Helmets to Hardhats is an organization that makes a significant and positive impact on the lives of thousands of Veterans and their families by supporting their successful transition from the military to well-paying civilian careers in the construction industries.