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FAQs

 

 

Why is the Fund being created?
As stated by General Rick Hillier, Former Chief of the Defence Staff, when he announced the Military Families Fund (MFF) in April 2007: “Many Canadians have approached and asked how they could support our troops and their families in a variety of ways. This Fund gives that generosity a home, and will provide us with a unique opportunity to support our families in the dark hours when they call out for help.”


What is the purpose of the Fund?
The MFF is an agile and responsive means for Base and Wing Commanders, in concert with Military Family Resource Centers (MFRC) across the country, to help military families within hours of being advised of need. It will help with short-term emergencies and also provide long-term support. The MFF allows Canadian Forces (CF) leadership to meet the special-case needs of CF members and their families with speed and flexibility not always available through the traditional programs.


Other programs already exist to help families of the Canadian Forces, why create another Fund?
The MFF enhances and complements, it does not replace, existing public and non-public programs. The Fund fills the gaps by providing for the unforeseen and often immediate needs that families may have due to conditions of service.

 

Who benefits from the MFF?
CF members and their families are the MFF beneficiaries. A beneficiary of the MFF includes those related by blood or law to a serving or former CF member or those in a significant relationship with a CF member if the CF member has been killed, disabled or injured while serving as a member of Her Majesty’s Forces.

 

How are the funds being used to help families?
The MFF allows for several areas of support beyond the limits of those programs already in place, by way of grants, including rehabilitation, education, financial assistance in the case of injury or death of a CF member due to service, and urgent and extraordinary financial demands where the ability to provide family necessities is at risk.


 

How is the money being raised?
Although there are official fundraising events  organized from time to time throughout the country, the MFF is growing all year long through the generous contributions of Canadians, corporations, and other organizations adding a new vehicle to support CF members and their families.

 

How do I contribute?
You can contribute in three ways:
- On-line
- By mail- make cheque or money order payable to:
               CFCF –Military Families Fund
               c/o Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency
                4210 Labelle Street
                Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2
By calling 1-877-445-6444


Can I donate in forms other than money?
Yes you can. Your donation will be gladly accepted, whether it is in the form of cash, stocks, bonds or gift-in-kind*. Contributions of any amounts are welcome.
* Donated products must be pre-approved due to health, safety, security, and logistics considerations.

One example of a gift-in-kind is Air Miles. Individuals wishing to donate Air Miles can do so by transferring their Air Miles from their account to the Canadian Forces Central Fund Corporate Air Miles account. It should be noted that in order to do so, all Air Miles must be transferred and the account must be closed. This is similar to when members donate their miles to Air Miles' own endorsed charities.

 

Will I get a tax receipt for my donation?
Donations to the Military Families Fund are receipted as donations to the Crown and are provided with tax receipts. The tax treatment for donations to the Crown is similar to donations to registered charities. However, there is no registered charity number for donations to the Crown.

Here is some useful background information explaining why these are considered donations “to the Crown”: The Military Family Fund has been set up as a Non-Public Property fund. Non-Public Property is established by the National Defence Act and is used for the benefit of CF members, former members and their families. The Military Families Fund Terms of Reference  make military families the focus for the Fund. While the Financial Administration Act does not apply to Non-Public Property, Non-Public Property remains a form of Crown property.

 

How is the Fund being managed?
General Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, has assigned the administration of the MFF to the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA) which is the morale and welfare arm of the CF that provides programs and services for the well-being of the military community. The administration of the MFF will be guided by a committee of volunteers willing to contribute their time to provide leadership and oversight for all activities of the MFF,  in accordance with its Terms of Reference.


Are there other ways I can support our troops?
CFPSA offers Canadians, corporations and organizations many ways
to support our troops:
 Buy CFPSA’s official “Support Our Troops” gear;
 Wear red on Fridays;
 Write to the Troops;
 Place an ad in CF Newspapers;
 Directly donate to other official CF-sanctioned initiatives: CF Personnel Assistance Fund, Hospital Comforts Fund,  Operation Santa Claus and Military Family Resource Centres;
 Become a corporate sponsor.
For details visit www.cfpsa.com/supportourtroops  


Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Please click here for accessing the Contact Us section.

Were public funds used to produce and air the Public Service Announcements?
The Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are not television commercials and have not been purchased as paid placements for advertising.  The PSAs are a CTV initiative and as such have been produced and aired by CTV, without charge.