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Although the Legion was founded to advance the cause of veterans, its grass-roots structure led naturally to community service. The "Foster Fathers Program", founded in the 1940s to help boys who had lost fathers in the war, stirred the imaginations of members who recognized the Legion's enormous potential to serve Canada. Soon branches across the country were responding to needs in their communities - an ambulance here, a sports program there, and eventually large-scale provincial and national projects, such as housing for the elderly, and the national track and field program for young Canadians. Today, with over 400,000 members, The Royal Canadian Legion is the largest veterans-based community service organization in the country contributing millions of dollars and voluntary hours to help Canadians, particularly veterans, seniors and youth.
The Legion is a non-profit, self sustained organization with approximately 1,600 branches in Canada, the United States, The Netherlands and Germany. As well as community service, comradeship, sports and social activities, Legion members receive Legion Magazine, one of Canada's largest paid-circulation periodicals, devoted to veterans and seniors issues, Canadian war-time history and Legion affairs. There is also an excellent members' benefit package which provides members with reduced costs for goods and services through cooperating companies.
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