The Legion’s strong membership base is its foundation; its 250,000 members once again allowed the organization to achieve some amazing things. Last year, the organization’s membership also grew year over year for the first time in more than three decades. It welcomed over 35,000 new and reinstated members.
Member engagement, public relations, new project innovation and advocacy efforts underpinned the varied accomplishments at the national level. This collective work helped produce public and media interest, membership growth and ultimately it helped facilitate actions across the country to support veterans.
SERVING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Over the course of 2022, Dominion Command service officers helped with disability applications and appeals, and provided individual grants for essential items such as food, fuel, clothing, medication and emergency shelter.
The veterans services department received excellent feedback last year from veterans who finally got disability benefits after years of rejection—primarily after they were alerted to changes in policies at Veterans Affairs Canada. These included items related to additional pain and suffering compensation and additional claims for medications for post-traumatic stress.
Veterans services was also involved in some new initiatives last year, such as the Burns Way Project to help ensure Indigenous veterans receive the mental health care they deserve. And programs supported by the Legion, such as Operation VetBuild, held more group meetings and were another important means of helping support veteran mental health and well-being.
Last year the Legion also continued its international support of veterans and their widows in Caribbean countries, including helping with meals and repairs to a home that provides care and protection. The Legion, as the
contact for Allied veterans and their widows on this continent, also distributed assistance on behalf of benevolent funds and entities such as the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League.
To read the full story visit: https://legionmagazine.com/en/growing-membership-and-new-initiatives/ by Nujma Bond