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“The committee felt strongly about supporting those that have served in the past. They have served us and they deserve our support now.” — Evan Stratichuk, Young Workers Committee Chair and HSAA/NUPGE board member
Edmonton (20 Oct. 2017) — How is it that veterans who have served our country, and often risked their lives, end up unable to provide food for themselves.
That’s a tough question — a bigger question than we, as individuals, can answer. We know post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can play a role. Coming home to an economy in a slump can be a factor.
HSAA/NUPGE Young Workers Committee joins food drive for veterans
While we may not be able to fix all the issues facing our veterans, we can do something to help. That was the thinking behind the Young Workers Committee of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA/NUPGE), which has chosen to join an annual food drive for veterans organized by the Canadian Legacy Project.
“The Canadian Legacy Project is a multifaceted organization that provides multiple supports to veterans in the community around Calgary,” said Evan Stratichuk, Committee Chair and HSAA/NUPGE board member. “The organization does a food drive every November and also assists veterans with housing, employment, education and service dogs.”
The food drive officially runs November 1–15, but the committee will be starting things early at HSAA/NUPGE’s Labour Relations Conference in Calgary on October 26–27. Members attending the conference are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations. They will also be able to make cash donations, as well as buy tickets for a 50/50 draw.
However, the fund and food drive don’t end at the conference. Members will be able to drop off food donations at HSAA’s office in Edmonton and Calgary up until November 15.
Giving back to those who have given so much
“The committee felt strongly about supporting those that have served in the past. They have served us and they deserve our support now,” said Stratichuk. “Many veterans are on fixed incomes and many are struggling with other factors. The Canadian Legacy Project helps make sure their pantries are filled and ensures funding is available to help with the other services.”
The project also appealed to committee members because it’s a local organization supporting members in Calgary, making it possible to see the positive effects donations have made.
The veterans’ food drive has been running since 2007, bringing in enough food to fill 2 warehouses annually, which equates to about $300,000 in food donations. Donations of money are used to buy Calgary Co-op food cards.
The Canadian Legacy Project also partners with the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), providing materials to all schools and organizing for representatives of the Calgary Poppy Fund and Veterans Motorcycle Club to visit schools to give presentations on Canada’s involvement in past and current missions. The school board encourages students to raise funds and food donations for the food drive.
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