Emergency Assistance

RCA Regimental Fund

Gunner James C. Holman Emergency Assistance Grant

Introduction

A Gift In Kind donation was received from the family of Gunner (Ret’d) James C. Holman, requesting that these funds be used to help Gunners in need through the Regimental assistance program. Gunner Holman served at the Royal Canadian School of Artillery in Shilo from 1959-1962 and was a mental health volunteer for 25 years. The Emergency Assistance Grant was renamed the Gunner James C. Holman Emergency Assistance Grant in his honour.

Funds are allocated annually to provide emergency grants to qualified members. These grants are designed to provide immediate short-term relief in cases of severe financial hardship in the form of a one-time grant through the life of an individual.

Eligibility

$500.00 is available to all serving Regular Force members (and by extension, their dependants) of The RCA.

An additional $500.00 is available to all contributors of the Fund on a separate occasion or in conjunction with the first requested grant (and by extension, their dependants). In order to receive this additional grant, contributors must be contributing at the minimum prescribed rate.

Application Procedure

Approval and administration of an Emergency Assistance Grant for an individual is as follows:

  • To ensure that a proper audit trail is maintained, the requesting unit Commanding Officer will provide a supporting memorandum that identifies the intended recipient and outlines the real and actual financial distress which the member is experiencing;
  • The request and accompanying documentation will be e-mailed to the Regimental Major. The Regimental Major will then forward the request to the President of The RCA Regimental Fund Executive Board; and
  • Upon approval from the President, RHQ RCA will have a cheque made up and dispatched to either the individual or the unit fund (in cases where the initial issuance of the funds to the individual was made out of the unit’s fund in order to save time), as specified by the requesting unit.

Questions on this subject should be directed to the Regimental Major or the Regimental Adjutant in his absence.

Royal Canadian Artillery Association

“Once a Gunner, Always a Gunner”: The Gunner Peer Support Program

The Gunner Peer Support Program (GPS) is a new initiative of the Royal Canadian Artillery Association established in the spirit of the Regimental adage, “Once a Gunner, Always a Gunner”, and dedicated to the well-being of all Gunners: regular or reserve, serving or retired or their immediate family members.

The program is administered by the GPS Committee (formerly, the RCAA Welfare Committee) and comprises an all-ranks cross-Canada network of Gunners committed to helping comrades and family members in need.

Help may include:

  • Pointing those in need to relevant programs offered by other agencies such as those listed here;
  • Advocacy in support of applications to other programs and agencies; and
  • Direct financial support to individuals beyond that available from other sources.

Examples of assistance provided to date include:

  • Helped member access VAC and complete necessary paperwork for a tinnitus claim
  • Helped member access VAC and complete necessary paperwork for an injury claim
  • Provided financial support to a member undergoing cancer treatment

Those wishing to support this program with financial donations may do so here.

Please direct inquiries to:

Captain (Ret’d) Tom Watters CD
Chair, Gunner Peer Support Committee
Royal Canadian Artillery Association
Email: gps.rcaa.aarc@gmail.com