By Martin Zeilig
In the heart of Winnipeg, a dedicated team is working tirelessly to ensure that no veteran is left without a home.
John Chabih serves as the Services Manager at the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Transition Centre in Winnipeg. Alongside him is Tamika Reid, the Veteran Family Coordinator at the Winnipeg Family Resource Centre. Together, they are on a mission to address the issue of homelessness among veterans.
John explains, “Part of our outreach mandate in the Canadian Forces Transition Group is to build relationships with key stakeholders to make sure we’re looking after our people. The Transition Centre supports ill and injured individuals and those releasing from the military while they serve. But we also serve veterans after their service to King and country in a number of issues around housing and wellbeing.”
One of the critical areas they are focusing on is ensuring that no veteran in Canada is homeless. With the current policies, programs, and benefits in place, provided by various service providers like the Royal Canadian Legion and Veterans Affairs, John believes that homelessness among veterans should be a thing of the past.
John and Tamika have been working closely with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, an organization that often encounters homeless veterans or those impacted by homelessness.
“We can share resources that are mutually beneficial to the veteran and the organization because their organizations are nonprofit,” John says. “If they find someone who meets our mandate of support, they can then link us to that veteran so we can connect them to potential resources.”
Their collaborative efforts don’t stop there. They have also engaged with the Southern Chiefs Organization, with Justin Woodcock serving as their Indigenous veterans’ liaison.
This collaboration marks the first time that various organizations with different funding sources and mandates have come together with a shared mission: to take care of homeless veterans.
Tamika’s role at the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) involves supporting veterans, particularly those who are medically released or in the process of releasing. However, she doesn’t turn away anyone with military service who is seeking resources or has questions.
“I spend a lot of my time going out in the community and figuring out what resources I can provide to people,” she says. “There are resources out there. I don’t need to reinvent the wheel. I’ll ask questions in place of veterans who can’t be there to speak for themselves. I’ll make educated referrals for anyone who might need those resources.”
Tamika also highlights the availability of emergency funding for veterans in crisis. She connects them to service officers in other organizations, such as veterans’ associations and Legions.
“People will have a sense of purpose, community, and a sense of spirituality that will positively impact their health and wellbeing,” she adds.
Despite their efforts, the exact number of homeless veterans remains unclear. According to the 2022 Street Report Census from End Homelessness Winnipeg, 5.7 percent of those interviewed had military or RCMP service.
John emphasizes that being impacted by homelessness doesn’t always mean living on the streets.
“It could be situations where they don’t have a home and are transient in their lifestyle. There are veterans living under the Osborne Bridge who know there are benefits available to them but prefer that lifestyle. We have offered supports, but the processes can be overwhelming for veterans.”
John shares a poignant example of an 80-year-old retired military police officer he is currently working with. This veteran never applied for veterans’ benefits because he didn’t consider himself ill or injured. “What often happens is that you will have an individual who has served their country but has the mindset that those benefits are not for them because they’re not ill or injured. So, they won’t apply for these benefits,” John explains.
The work of the TC Winnipeg team, Tamika, and their partners is a testament to the dedication and compassion required to address the complex issue of veteran homelessness. By building relationships, sharing resources, and providing unwavering support, they are making strides towards ensuring that every veteran in Winnipeg has a place to call home.
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