The perfect holiday gift is unique to each individual, but the greatest gift of all can be the strength to save your own life.
鈥淚 am the only surviving member of my family,鈥� says Jordan, a recovering addict and team lead at New Roads Therapeutic Recovery Community operated by Our Place.
鈥淢y parents struggled with addiction most of their lives, and it ultimately took the life of my biological father,鈥� Jordan explains. 鈥淢y step-dad and mom got sober,
but unfortunately both died of cancer. My brother died of a heroin overdose when he was 19. I was addicted to hard drugs, and I鈥檝e (overdosed) twice.鈥�
During his addiction, Jordan experienced homelessness, and was in hospital for weeks at a time.
鈥淚 did some really stupid things,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut in 2004, I took my first steps into recovery because of the example my parents showed me. They successfully got clean and showed me that it was possible. I鈥檝e only had four pretty minor relapses since. The mind is hard to overcome sometimes. It takes time.鈥� Jordan has come a long
way during his journey of recovery. He has a background in addictions recovery work in Surrey 鈥� where he鈥檇 often share his story publicly, inspiring hundreds of others to find hope. For the last two-and-a-half years, he鈥檚 been working at Our Place and New Roads Therapeutic Recovery Community.
鈥淢y life鈥檚 work is to pass on what I鈥檝e learned,鈥� says Jordan. 鈥淎 friend of mine describes it best: when you find the map in the minefield, you don鈥檛 just keep it for yourself. You walk back through the minefield, and you take others through safely. That is what I鈥檓 here to do.鈥�
At New Roads, Jordan mentors residents through their own paths of recovery by showing them that there is hope and another side to the traumas they are each battling.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much tragedy in addiction and I鈥檝e been exposed to some of the ugliest,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut then there are also the victories. When someone鈥檚 failed so much in their life, all they need is for someone to believe in them. All the self-doubt that they have, their lack of self-esteem, they feel that they don鈥檛 deserve anything, or they feel that they鈥檙e just going to screw it up, so what鈥檚 the use? At New Roads, we鈥檙e there to show them that they are capable and that they matter. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so crucial to have key people in their lives who believe in them. We鈥檝e got to be there for their victories.鈥�
Victories are found and celebrated every day, together, at New Roads.
鈥淲e surround the residents as a community, and we really show them that we all care about them,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where hope starts for these guys. It starts with love. We show them that you鈥檝e got to draw towards the good, towards love. They begin to realize that the power of love, is more powerful than their addiction, and that power is what they need to follow. It鈥檚 my job to ask, 鈥榃hat if you step into happiness and into love and start using that as your power instead?鈥�鈥�
From its humble beginnings as a simple downtown Victoria refuge, Our Place has grown from an inner-city community centre to employing 275+ staff and 250+ volunteers who operate a continuum of critical services in locations throughout the CRD.
To nourish hope in so many this holiday season, please make a donation to Our Place Society by visiting ourplacesociety.com/donate, or calling the donor hotline at 250-940-5060.
Please join us in giving the gift of hope for 2022.
