Operation Road Home
Overview
We are privileged to be one of two agencies in Ottawa that received funding from the Federal Government to address homelessness in the nation’s capital. Our Innercity Veterans Outreach and Support (IVOS) program began in 2019 and has seen a notable increase in the number of Veterans we connect with on a weekly and monthly basis.
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With our membership in several groups that come alongside homeless and at-risk Veterans, we are thrilled to support those who served us by housing eligible Veterans. We are privileged to take on this new and exciting challenge as it advances our IVOS program and our mission to come alongside and support those facing poverty and homelessness.
About
The Veteran Homelessness Program (VHP) aims to prevent and reduce Veteran homelessness in Canada. As a member of this program, our goal is to help prevent and reduce Veteran homelessness in Ottawa through wrap-around services. Veterans have served our country courageously, and they deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. For more information about this program, service providers, and the VHP directives, visit the Government of Canada’s website. Operation Road Home is funded by the Government of Canada.
Services
We will provide rent supplements and wrap-around services over a four-year period. These services mean we can provide the first and last month’s rent while providing some furniture for the housing. We can also provide bedding, cooking supplies, furniture, and other essential supplies. As a wrap-around service provider, we also offer services such as screening and referral services for counselling, substance use treatment, and clinical health services to Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
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Our Veterans Housing Coordinator, Peter, will meet with Veterans one-on-one to determine their eligibility for the program and verify their status. From there, he will begin helping each Veteran get the support they need. Peter’s role comes as a result of the funding received and will focus primarily on finding a place for homeless or precariously housed Veterans to call home.
Who’s eligible?
Eligible participants are former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) (including Rangers and reservists) or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The Government of Canada defines homelessness as, “the situation of an individual or family who does not have a permanent address or residence and does not have the immediate prospect, means, and ability to acquire it. More specifically, experiences of homelessness can include time spent:
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In unsheltered locations or places not intended for human habitation (e.g., parks);
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In emergency shelters (permanent or overflow beds);
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Staying temporarily with others (e.g., family or friends) without guarantee of continued residency (“couch surfing”); or,
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In short-term rentals with no security of tenure (e.g., paying for motels with income or savings).”
Do you know a Veteran in need?
Call our IVOS Support Line: 613-302-4399. We’ll make sure they get the help they deserve.
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