Canada-wide events bring awareness to number of homeless veterans
Posted Jun 9, 2018 3:41 pm.
Last Updated Jun 9, 2018 3:49 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A nationwide event bringing awareness about homeless veterans happened on Saturday in 21 cities, including a march in Calgary.
Veterans Emergency Transition Services (VETS) counts the number of homeless vets on the streets and tried to help them out, through their annual VETS Canada Coast to Coast Tour of Duty.
Calgary Field Operations Manager Steve Gilliss estimates they encounter about 12 to 24 homeless vets every year in Calgary, but the number is likely higher.
“Probably upwards of a hundred is my guess,” said Gilliss, who adds the problem is getting worse around the country.
“In the four years of our existence, we’ve helped over 3,000 veterans right across Canada and, to give you an idea, the number is growing exponentially. In May alone we helped 250.”
VETS helps set up homeless veterans with affordable or sustainable housing, provide food and other services.
“We’ve done everything from pay utility bills to write resumes, so it really runs the gamut. And that’s the point of this organization, to be nimble and to be able to help in other ways that other organizations aren’t set up to do.”
The group operates with some private and federal funding, and works closely with Veterans Affairs.
Gilliss attributes some of this problem to veterans not receiving the right kind of care upon leaving the service, and having a hard time transitioning to life outside of the armed forces.
“Sometimes there’s underlying mental health issues as well, like PTSD, that starts them down a spiral, you know, the PTSD will tend to lead to substance abuse. The next thing you know, they’re in crisis,” said Gilliss. “I would say probably 80 per cent of the veterans that I’ve helped have been in that same situation.”
“A lot of the programs and things that are out there for veterans are pretty reactionary, and are meant to be reactive once there’s been a diagnosis or once there’s been a crisis. One of the things we can do is be more proactive, give the veterans and their families the tools they need as soon as they sign up for service, and give them a better understanding of throughout their career what they’re going to experience.”
If you want to learn more or volunteer with the organization, head to VETSCanada.org.
