Volunteers hit Ottawa streets to help homeless veterans

CTV Atlantic: Organization helping vets in need A group dedicated to helping down on their luck veterans took to the streets of Halifax and other cities Saturday. Ron Shaw reports.

Volunteers of a non-profit group spent part of their weekend scouring Ottawa's streets for homeless veterans, in an effort to help them turn their lives around.

The Ottawa chapter of VETS Canada, which stands for Veterans Emergency Transition Services, has helped 25 to 30 people this year and is currently supporting 11 veterans.

"We are here to give them a hand up. We help them. We'll help them do things like help them pay a mortgage, rent, grocery cards," said Jim Lowther, the organization's CEO and founder, told CTV Ottawa.

A 2015 report on veteran homelessness, authored by Employment and Social Development Canada, estimates that 2,250 veterans use homeless shelters, accounting for roughly two per cent of shelter users.

Veterans who use homeless shelters also tend to be older, and the proportion of seniors is higher among veterans, the report states.

VETS Canada says it has helped more than 1,400 homeless and at-risk veterans make the transition from military to civilian life since its inception in 2010.

The group works to verify that a homeless person is a veteran. Once that is done, the veteran is immediately put into a hotel and assigned a volunteer who helps them find a job and a rental unit, as well as access services offered through their local legion or Veterans Affairs.

Fabian Novo, a first-time volunteer and also an ex-military member, says the search for veterans is personal to him.

"We remember going through boot camp, the pain and the suffering that we all went through," he said. "Having our careers and then seeing them where they are now, it pulls on your heart strings."

The group was able to help one veteran on Saturday, starting the process for a 16-year Royal Canadian Air Force veteran to get a new wheelchair.

Jennifer Gribbon, another volunteer, admits that some days are busier than others but just offering their services is worth it.

"Even if we don't find any [veterans], we aren't discouraged because at least we are raising awareness," she said.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Annie Bergeron Oliver