Why We Do It
Our Purpose
Members of our military wake each morning with the intense need to make a difference. For the opportunity to put on the uniform and serve. With loyalty, integrity and courage, they are committed to excellence.
They’re fuelled by their support systems – those who serve, but without the uniform. Those who go overlooked: their families. The families of our military make sacrifices… rarely staying in one place too long, moving homes, schools and careers. Spouses feel isolated. Kids displaced. Parents worried.
And they do it all selflessly, for the benefit of their country.
We are an organization that puts military families first. We educate Canadians about our armed forces and their loved ones. We recognize and support those who really stand by our serving members and Veterans. We roll up our sleeves to help. To put ourselves in the shoes of the mother who drops her son off at the airport for his first deployment, not knowing when – or if – she’ll see him again. Of the spouse who’s looking after his toddler alone for months, while his wife fights floods and fires on the other side of the country. Of the family who celebrates Christmas in February because their father was thousands of kilometres away for the holidays. Of the couple that agrees to live apart for two years while one is training for an upcoming mission.
Because sometimes even the strongest need support.
Now more than ever, our military is needed to protect the safe borders we take for granted. We believe that to keep the military strong, we need to keep their families stronger. In the good times, and the bad.
They've got this and we've got them.
Together, we are stronger. Together, we are a family.
Together We Stand.
Their Sacrifices
There are approximately 93,000 active Canadian military families and 460,000 Canadian Veteran families in Canada. They make sacrifices to serve this country.
Frequently forced moves
Military families move 3-4 times more often than civilian families do. As a result, immediate family members can sometimes choose to live up to 2 years apart from one another, rather than having to move again.
Lack of spousal employment
Military spouses often find themselves underemployed or unemployed due to the stressors associated with military life, at times leading to food security issues within the family.
Financial challenges
With limited on-base housing, military families are often forced to live in new homes and cities that may not be affordable to them. As a result, 43% of military families report having significant financial struggles.
Isolation and mental health struggles
Military families often feel isolated or ostracized because their experiences are not understood by members of the civilian population. Additionally, military populations are at a higher potential risk of mental health issues because service can involve exposure to trauma, separation from family and stressful living conditions.
Lack of childcare
Due to frequent forced moves, lack of childcare and available housing are among the top five stressors associated with military life - with waitlists of up to years at a time.
Impact on children
Military life can place significant burden on children, as it's often associated with disruptions to education, separation from loved ones and overall higher levels of stress.
Long periods of separation
During a deployment, families are often separated from the serving member for periods of up to a year at a time.
Access to health care
While health care is provided to the members in uniform, their families will go years without access to a family physician, often moving again before getting to the top of a list.
Real Talk with Real Families
Military Life Misconceptions
The Military Parent Perspective
The Truth About PTSD
Together We Stand
5775 Yonge Street, Suite 601 Toronto, ON M2M 4J1Our Newsletter
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