The life of a military family involves frequent moves to different bases or cities, disruptions the United Way says it’s set up to help.
The charity has been partnering with the Military Family Resource Centre to spread childcare across the city for parents of Canadian Forces families.
“It’s nice to sit down and relax, chat with other people who are in the same boat that you’re in,” said Capt. Adriana Oulton while dropping off her two-year-old daughter Leah.
“My family is in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, we have family in B.C. but not Ottawa so it provides a family for the families.”
“Coffee Break” is one of the many programs offered at the resource centre, with the United Way helping them expand off bases such as CFB Uplands.
“Not only navy, but you’ve got army wives that their husbands are on course,” said Dawn Butler, whose spouse is in the military. “This is a good support.”
“If we hadn’t received funding from United Way, some of the programs wouldn’t be happening,” said Doris Jordan of the Military Family Resource Centre.
“Without the programs it would be like a military family moving into Ottawa not knowing anybody, not having any support in place.”
That support includes ways for children to manage the stress and anxiety that comes with their parents’ deployments.
“If dad and mom have been gone for a couple of months, they might have a hard time with separation anxiety when other parents drop off their child in the program,” Jordan said.
“(We’re) equipped to deal with that.”
With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Vanessa Lee
