National Headquarters announces $3 million for Branches

OTTAWA, April 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In an unprecedented move, the Legion's National Headquarters will release a total of 3 million dollars to help struggling Branches in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Dominion Command Executive Council made a landmark decision to release the funds from the Legion's national reserves, in order to provide Branch Emergency Funds - non-repayable grants - to Branches that are suffering across our country. These are not Poppy Funds, which cannot be used for Branch operations.

"Despite the current challenges, our incredible members and Branches are doing incredible volunteer work," says Dominion President Thomas D. Irvine. "Our communities need them and we want to do everything we can to help them help others," he says.

The funds will be managed through the Legion's Provincial/Territorial Commands, and via International Zones. The initial total amount transferred to regions next week will be equivalent to one thousand dollars per Branch, and the specific amounts disbursed directly to Branches will be based on individual need. Commands and Zones will be required to inform Dominion Command on how funds were distributed.

The Legion has over 1,300 Branches across the country.

More information related to the pandemic situation and the Legion's response can be found on our COVID-19 page.

The Legion thanks Canadians for their support of our Veterans and their families, and our communities during this challenging time!

Those who might wish to join our nation-wide group of generous volunteers can become a member of the Legion and help support our efforts. Even if you cannot volunteer, your membership helps us help those in need. Join online at Legion.ca/join-us. We look forward to welcoming you!

About The Royal Canadian Legion
Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canada's largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S., Europe and Mexico. With close to 260,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/28fb921e-c300-46f8-830f-71d553205a7b