support our troops funds and outreach program

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTY BIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Support Our Troops Funds and Outreach Program

Saskatchewan Command of The Royal Canadian Legion46th Biennial Convention

17 October 2011

Jennifer RankineMFF/HC Manager

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Support Our Troops Funds

• Military Families Fund (MFF)• Soldier On Fund• Hospital Comforts Fund• Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund

(CFPAF) • Operation Santa Claus (program)

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Sources of Funding

• Funds exist principally through donation

• Major sources of funding– Donations from individuals and Corporations– Third Party Events – CANEX levies (CFPAF only)

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Military Families Fund

• Established in 2007• Assists military families faced with

unforeseen and immediate needs that are attributed to conditions of service

• MFF Executive Committee advisory to CDS• Relies on engagement by/support from the

Chain of Command

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Military Families Fund Con’t

• Agile and responsive to need• Coordinated and synergized with other programs• It is not an entitlement or a benefit• Receipts must be retained• Funding only to be spent on intended purpose• Unused funding to be returned

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

MFF Beneficiaries

• Beneficiary definition:

– Any individual related by blood or law to a serving or former CF member or to a member of that individual’s immediate family

– An individual not related by blood or law if the relationship between the CF member and individual has been of significance

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

How do clients access the fund?

• Access to fund through mulitiple sources – Chain of Command, MFRCs, Padre, SISIP Financial Counsellors, VAC, the Legion, JPSUs/IPSCs etc.

• For those at the Base/Wing level – cases will be channelled back through the Chain of Command

(JPSU/IPSC Chain of Command is DCSM)

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

MFF Criteria

• Link to conditions of service

• Financial distress or financial hardship

• A grant must resolves the situation

• Other (the right thing to do)

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

MFF Case Examples

• Within Canada - Covered travel expenses for parents to visit their son in the hospital (member had been injured in an IED blast)

• Assisted with the costs associated with behavioural therapy for a member’s six-year old autistic son

• Covered the cost of counseling for a mom of a young soldier diagnosed with PTSD. Coverage under PSHCP had been maxed out.

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

MFF Case Examples

• Funds to cover furniture necessities and winter clothing for three nieces. The parents had been killed in an accident.

• Member terminally ill – assistance to cover the cost of medical supplies, wheelchair rental.

• Short-term income subsidy for a spouse who had to quit her job to care for her husband who had been injured.

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Military Families Fund cont’d

MFF / SOT overhead

• includes costs associated with 1-877 telephone line, postage, honorariums, Interac fees, BMO Prepaid card Admin fees and some supplies.

Average Overhead: $1.5K (avg FY 07/08-09/10): 1.3%

Comparison:

United Way overhead expenses 2009: 16%

Camp Oochigeas 2009 (low std): 7%

Not included above – about half of the honoraria are returned to the funds as donations

Staff salaries are publicly reimbursed and not paid by the Fund

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Soldier On Fund

• Supports the Soldier On Program in improving the quality of life of injured/ill CF personnel through fitness, recreation and sport

• Soldier On Fund used to satisfy needs beyond the scope/mandate of Public Funding

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Soldier On Fund Examples

• Travel costs of 4 members who participated in the Centre for the Intrepid Mini-triathlon in San Antonio, Texas

• Ice time for a member to practice Sledge Hockey

• A grant to purchase a adaptive ski equipment

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Soldier On Fund Examples

• Travel costs for 2 members who participated in the World Para-Triathlon in Budapest, Hungary (one member won a bronze medal in her category)

• Funded members and support personnel for the Army Run

• Participation in introductory skills development camps – canoe, alpine ski, sledge hockey, etc.

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Hospital Comforts Fund

• Ensures hospitalized CF members have access to toiletries, reading materiel and other basic comforts, including telephone and internet

• Applies equally to injuries, accidents, surgeries, as well as addiction and mental health treatments

• Since 2006, benefit has been extended to more than 1,000 members

• Annual draw on the fund is @ 150 K

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund

• Provides financial assistance to serving and former members when warranted by distress or other qualifying circumstances

– Self Improvement Loans up to $5,000 – Distress Grants up to $5,000 – Distress loans up to $25,000– Education loans up to $4,000 per year to a

maximum of $16,000 per student

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Support Our Troops Overview

Military Families Fund

$3.2M $305 K (FY10/11 - 816K)

765

Soldier On Fund $1M $37 K(FY10/11 – 142K)

157

Hospital Comforts Fund

$(-28)K $150K(FY10/11 – 63K)

1211

CFPAF $16.3M $12.5M (loans) $212K (grants)

15,031(loans) 591 (grants)

Fund BalanceAvg AnnualDisbursement

ApplicationsApproved Since 2007

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

OP Santa Claus

• Provides a Christmas gift to every deployed CF Member

• In 2010 – received donations from 78 Canadian Corporations and other donors

• 4449 CF members at 19 locations

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Outreach

• Working with the following external stakeholders to identify program/funding gaps and overlaps:

True Patriot Love Foundation, Canada Company, Royal Canadian Legion,Camp Maple Leaf, Wounded Warrior, Military Casualty Support Foundation, Canadian Hero Fund, Vacation for Vets; Holidays for Heroes

• Moving forward, efforts will be cooperative,

integrated and harmonized

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Website

• www.supportingourtroops.ca• www.militaryfamiliesfund.ca

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTYBIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Contacts

• Sandy Gauthier– National Manager, SOT Funds & CFPAF, 613-992-

4560

• Jennifer Rankine– Manager, MFF & HC, 613-947-3750

• Heather Connolly– SOT Funds Coordinator, 613- 996-5325

• Nancy Branco– Manager, Corporate Outreach & Sponsorship, 613-

995-0321

CANADIAN FORCES NON-PUBLIC PROPERTY BIENS NON PUBLICS DES FORCES CANADIENNES

Questions?