-----Did You Know?
The Royal Canadian Legion is well known as Canada's foremost veterans' support
association. That it is also one of the country's largest community service
organizations with programs touching the lives of hundreds of thousands of
ordinary citizens every year, is known to far fewer Canadians. Because of
its grass roots origins, the Legion has always responded to the needs of communities.
Since 1926, members have been quietly working to improve the quality of life
for all Canadians, particularly veterans, seniors and youth. Here are some
of the programs:
Veterans'
and Seniors' Services - support to veterans, ex service members and their
families, health care, housing, social activities, medical support, information;
Youth
Activities - support to cadet corps, Scouts Canada, sports organizations,
and financial assistance in the form of scholarships and bursaries;
Remembrance
- maintaining the tradition of "remembrance" through the annual
Remembrance - Poppy campaign, conducting the "Two Minute Wave of Silence",
the establishment of "The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier", organizing
and conducting national, regional and local Remembrance Day ceremonies, youth
poster and essay contests, school programs, and pilgrimages to historic war
time locations;
Community
service - financial and volunteer assistance to a wide range of charities.
- The Legion pays $6.8 million in property taxes annually.
- Employs 2,150 full time and 3,400 part time employees.
- Annually spends $2 million on direct support to needy veterans and contributes
852,000 hours of volunteer time assisting veterans, ex service members and
their families.
- Commits $150,000 to veterans and seniors housing projects annually.
- Spends $2 million on direct support to seniors and contributes over 447,000
hours of volunteer time assisting senior citizens on an annual basis.
- Spends $5.1 million a year on direct support to youth activities and contributes
440,000 hours in volunteer time with young Canadians.
- Donates more than $11.1 million to local charities and 808,000 hours annually
to charitable agencies.
It is estimated that the Legion's annual economic impact on communities exceeds $348 million.
For further information, please contact your nearest Legion Branch.