'This is our community; we are cleaning it together': Addiction recovery home helps clean Windsor's west end
One local addiction recovery home is stepping up and giving back to the community, cleaning up the west end while combatting addiction.
“I’ve been battling with drug addiction pretty much my entire life,” said 35-year-old Bradley Currie.
Currie is one of 44 men in recovery at the Hand in Hand Support home.
“While being here I started to believe in myself. I started to see things, I’ve never seen in myself,” said Currie.
Hand in Hand Support is a non-profit sober living facility helping people with addiction-recovery.
“We want to help these individuals get into recovery because everyone deserves a second chance,” said Liz Geddes, board president of Hand in Hand Support.
“We are offering this as a way to gap that need so for someone who is going into treatment. They can stay here until they are ready to go into treatment or they can do their whole treatment with us."
After a 10-year battle with drugs and alcohol, Currie found the help he needed at Hand in Hand.
“I ended up graduating here and we decided to integrate a new phase which is a working program,” said Currie. “So it gives me a chance to have opportunity in my life, coming from where I was before, it was very hard for me to see the opportunity.”
Local food delivery service Jubzi teamed up with the non-profit organization to clean up Windsor's west-end streets Saturday.
“There’s a portion of the community that feels individuals that suffer addiction should fend for themselves, they’re a burden in our community,” said Jubzi CEO Thanos Zikantas. “These individuals appreciate the support they are getting and they are giving back. This is our community, we are cleaning it together.”
Giving back throughout the recovery proccess helps residents work towards reconciliation, according to Hand in Hand.
“When someone is in recovery they have to be accountable and be able to go out there and give back,” said Geddes. “Going out and feeling good about themselves, going out and doing the cleanup, it gives them self-worth. That they are worth it and recovery is worth it.”
For Currie, he now feels free and is grateful for his second chance at life.
“The only way, I find, to open my heart is to reach out and to give back to the community, to people, to Mother Earth we live on," said Currie.
"There is a certain gratitude that’s comes from giving back that puts you in a good, healthy state of mind."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.