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The funds provided to VPN was raised through the annual Military Service Recognition Book, which invites families to submit a photograph and a blurb about someone who served. The book can be found at on.legion.ca

“It is really interesting, reading all of these stories,” she said. The funds support veteran transition programs that may not fall within the Poppy Manual.

In addition, $136,741 was provided to the Good Shepherd Mission, which has a Veterans Housing Navigation Team. She explained the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Provincial Command partnered with this group around ten-years ago, when it was realized there were veterans living on the street.

by Sylene Argent

Recently, the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Command proudly announced it would present $1,144,741 in donations and pledges to four separate causes that each support veterans in a different way.

“We were really proud to present [the funding],”

Pamela Sweeny,

Executive

Provincial Command, said. The official event where the donations were presented took place at Ontario Command Headquarters in Aurora on January 19.

Director

for the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario

Of the funds, $108,000 was presented to the Veterans Transition Network (VTN), which offers group counselling to Veterans and is designed to help them to overcome difficulties.

Even though VTN is based in Vancouver, it has cohorts in Ontario, which helps veterans as they transition from military to civilian life, Sweeny said. This group counselling with peers, she added, helps these individuals face a range of obstacles, from coping with trauma to finding a job. Sweeny said the number of veterans in Ontario is high.

Sweeny said the Good Shepherd Mission surveyed over 600 individuals going in for a hot meal and discovered around ten percent served in the Canadian Forces.

From there, Good Shepherd Mission created a Veterans Housing Navigation Team. The donation made helps ensure funding to the program, so it can continue.

The Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Provincial Command works closely with them on the “Operation: Leave the

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