VETS Canada Kicks Off Third Annual Operation Holiday Helping Hands for Canadians in Need
Date: December 2018
Locations: Across Canada
ACROSS CANADA, DECEMBER, 2018: Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada (VETS Canada) will be rolling out their third annual Operation Holiday Helping Hands throughout the month of December; a coast to coast outreach initiative to support and aid our less fortunate Canadians, and to ensure those who served our country are not forgotten during the Holidays. VETS Canada volunteers will be helping out at local shelters / drop in centers and volunteering for the general good of the community across the country, and will also be coordinating a gift card drive for Veterans in need.
“As the Holidays draw near, it is easy to forget the fact that thousands of Canadians are struggling to eat and stay warm, including those who have served to protect our country,” says Jim Lowther, VETS Canada’s President and CEO. “This national initiative encourages much needed dialogue regarding the ongoing issues of homelessness and food insecurity amongst Canadian Veterans and civilians alike, while also providing a chance for community members to step up and help those in need.” Regarding the gift card drive, Lowther adds: “It’s amazing what something as simple as a gift card can mean to Veteran who is struggling during the Holidays. To a Veteran in need, it isn’t just a gift card: it’s proof that Canadians care, and that they aren’t forgotten.”
VETS Canada is encouraging all Canadians to get involved in Operation Holiday Helping Hands:
How Can the Public Get Involved?
• Volunteer this month in your community to help those in need and Tag / Tweet your pictures – @VETSCanada
• Donate a gift card to a Veteran in need:
o Mail a gift card to VETS Canada at: 53 Queen Street, PO Box 214, Dartmouth NS, B2Y 3Y3
o Mail a cheque with “Gift Card Drive” written on the memo line
o Donate online at VETSCanada.org/donate
• Share our event on social media – @VETSCanada
About VETS Canada
Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada (VETS Canada), a national charity with primary funding from Veterans Affairs Canada, is the largest 24/7 Canadian organization dedicated to addressing the emergency needs of homeless and in-crisis Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP. Our hundreds of dedicated volunteers, primarily Veterans or still-serving members, have relied on a unique model of peer-support to provide life-saving aid in response to thousands of requests for assistance since our inception in 2010. It is our firm belief that no one who served to protect our homes should ever be without one. Learn more at www.VETSCanada.org.