Gratitude to the City of Kelowna & Central Okanagan Foundation: Transforming Lives Through Recovery

It is with much gratitude that we say “thank you” to the City of Kelowna (www.kelowna.ca) and the Central Okanagan Foundation (www.centralokanaganfoundation.org) for their generous contribution of an operational grant towards the Addiction Recovery Programs at Freedom’s Door.

Freedom’s Door influences and addresses an innovative approach to addiction recovery programs to combat the powerlessness felt by marginalized men who have been struggling with active addictions and mental health challenges. We offer addiction recovery programs that are person-centred, strength-based, and collaborative, transitioning vulnerable male clients into education, employment, and permanent housing opportunities.

We empower and involve populations experiencing marginalization and oppression and help them solve social problems and work toward positive change. Our client base is from different cultural backgrounds, and we offer a low-barrier intake process. Our programs offer new steps so people can leave a life of addiction, maintain their recovery, and work toward education and employment within the community.

It is in these moments where we see men walk through their pain and start the process of developing new positive schemas for their lives—where they start to thrive and take the next steps toward a purposeful life. Clients are provided a well-balanced, wrap-around program and housing, supported with essential counselling services for men experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Many families sit on the sidelines, watching their loved ones go through substance abuse and mental health challenges, feeling isolated and discriminated against due to societal stigma. Supportive groups and peer programs, enhanced by counselling services, foster a sense of belonging, understanding, and mutual support among participants.

Thank you to the City of Kelowna and Central Okanagan Foundation for making a difference in the lives of men struggling with addiction.