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For all those who serve, have a loved one who serves, and know their family life doesn’t look quite like everyone else’s because of the job, welcome.
You are a Garnet Family and we are glad you’re here.
Does your family navigate non-standard hours, concern for your loved one’s safety, missed celebrations, and traumatic experiences as a part of the job? If so, you are a Garnet Family. You, and many families like yours, are connected to sectors that have to navigate all of these demands, all at once.
We get it, we’ve lived it, and we are a community for you.
Each of these is a significant challenge. Some are expected, while others take you by surprise. Until now, the focus of support has been on those serving in the military and public safety sectors, not on their families. Without first-hand experience, it’s hard to grasp the complexity and impact of these realities, making it even harder for families to find information and support.
We rely on defence and public safety families to carry the invisible load at home. It’s hard work, often impossible to understand until you’ve lived it. Hardworking families like yours are the reason we created Garnet Families.
We know life for Garnet Families can feel overwhelming at times. We believe in families. And we believe in a vibrant and inclusive society that works to support these families.
We are here for families. Period.
A family is anyone who says they are a family. Chosen families. Immediate families. Siblings. Parents. Extended families. Grandparents. Aunts. Neighbours. Friends. Partners. Children. Grandchildren. Cousins.
Our goal is to connect defence and public safety families with resources to navigate the almost unavoidable challenges that service careers bring to a family’s day-to-day and overall wellbeing.
We are broadening the conversation beyond an exclusive focus on facing risk to include the unique and complicated phenomenon of lifestyle dimensions, such as the consequences of having to move–or not being able to, the impacts of complicated identities, and the difficulty of managing competing and conflicting work and family demands, that many Garnet Families experience, all at once.
We aim to name these lifestyle dimensions and provide proactive support in managing them by using an approach that considers the various life stages of the family.
Families Matter Research Group (FMRG) envisions a Canada where the families of military, veterans, and public safety personnel can thrive in a caring and compassionate society, an inclusive and vibrant culture, and a safe and sustainable environment.
FMRG works closely with its network, the Garnet Families Network, to engage families–and those who study, serve, and support them–in research.
