Homeless veterans get a helping hand
They fought for your country and some end up on the street.
And now homeless shelters and Canada's veterans afairs are working together to find out how many homeless veterans there are and how they can help them.
Veterans Affairs launched a special outreach program for homeless veterans at a café for the homeless on Ste Catherine Street East near the Jacques Cartier Bridge. It's a 100-thousand dollar project, none of it new money, but includes existing resources to fight a growing problem.
And while officials don't know how how many homeless veterans there could be,
"One is too many," Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson told reporters.
"Many of them are suffering a mental injury or a mental illness, drug addiction, alcoholism, so it's very difficult. That's why we're working on the initiative, we want to know who they are."
Homeless shelters say it's tricky to identify veterans amongst their regular clientele, because it's not something that comes up when they are seeking food or shelter.
Cyril Morgan, director of the Welcome Hall Mission, says pride also might get in the way for some but,
"Because they're coming already to our place, there's already pride that's being walked on a little bit. So it'll give us a chance that'll help them get a step up."
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