Every day volunteers are needed across Canada to run activities, manage programs and execute the mission of tens of thousands of community organizations, big and small, in person or online – from homework clubs and food hubs, to disaster response and hospitals.

Pandemic lockdowns were devastating to many community organizations and the people they served and four years on, the impact is still felt. We urgently need to strengthen our community services and to do that, we need to mobilize new volunteers.

Veteran Volunteerism Initiative: Building connection with purpose

That’s why True Patriot Love is thrilled to launch the Veteran Volunteerism Initiative (VVI), a project that aims to harness the skills and spirit of service among Veterans so we can all thrive together.

Thanks to a $500,000 grant from Veteran Affairs Canada’s Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund, this ground-breaking project aims to develop a National Action Plan on Veteran Volunteerism, leveraging the unique propensity of Veterans to serve their communities.

A National Action Plan: Addressing a critical gap

Canada doesn’t have a framework for coordinating and evaluating Veteran volunteerism, despite its potential benefits to both Veterans and communities.

The Veteran Volunteer Initiative will draw on the outcomes of seven evaluated community programs to develop a comprehensive National Veteran Volunteerism Action Plan and framework.

Additionally, the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) will conduct a literature review to deepen our understanding of how volunteerism contributes to Veterans’ well-being.

By better understanding the impact of volunteerism on Veterans, we can tap their experience and expertise to help inform and shape program and policy decisions, all while strengthening the programs and organizations that serve our communities.

This isn’t a study that sits on a shelf: it’s a dynamic partnership!

Get involved today!

Our seven program partners have urgent needs for volunteers and we’re helping to spread the word to Veterans and their networks. Click on the links below to learn more about each of our VVI partners and to connect directly to their volunteer applications.

Stay in the know!

We’ll be sharing impact stories and volunteer opportunities on all our social channels – follow True Patriot Love and @TPLFoundation so you can share the news with your networks.

Have more questions about Veteran volunteering?

Drop a line to Eleanor Taylor, Manager, Community Engagement and Advocacy at etaylor@truepatriotlove.com – she’s happy to help.