What happens to the money collected from the poppy trays? All funds collected during the poppy campaign are held in trust by the local branch of The Royal Canadian Legion. The basic purpose and obligations of the Poppy Trust Fund are to assist:
• Any person who is serving or who has honorably served in the Canadian Forces and their dependants who are in need of assistance.
• Merchant Navy personnel who are eligible for and who have been awarded campaign stars or decorations and their dependants who are in need of assistance.
• Ex-service personnel of allied countries who are resident in Canada and their dependants who are in need of assistance.
These funds may only be used for emergency assistance, which is defined as shelter, food, fuel, clothing, prescription medicine and necessary transportation. Assistance cannot be continued over an extended period but may be offered more than once to an individual.
The poppy donations can also be used for:
• The awarding of a bursary to a child, grandchild or great grandchild of a veteran or serving member of the Canadian Forces.
• Affordable housing for our veterans, seniors and their dependants.
• Legion Veteran’s Transition programs - a relief and recovery program for trauma stress at UBC and the military skills conversion program at BCIT.
• Housing for homeless veterans, such as Cockrell House in Victoria.
• Poppy funds can also be used for repairs to care facilities, medical training and medical research, meals on wheels, disaster relief, restoration of monuments and the support of Cadet Units to name a few.
There are also a number of expenditures where poppy trust funds are not authorized for use.
Poppy Trust Funds are there to assist all Veterans and their dependants, whether they live in Clearwater or Victoria.
This is just a small insight into the works of the Poppy Fund - there are many more. Your donations (not the sale of poppies as we do not sell them) go along way in assisting our Veterans in need.
On behalf of all Veterans - Thank you for your continued support of our Poppy Campaign.
Legion Branch 259
Clearwater, B.C.