'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
NEW AI helping to identify undiagnosed genetic disorders in children
Researchers have developed the world's first algorithm powered by artificial intelligence to identify children with undiagnosed rare genetic disorders.
Toronto awarded WNBA's first franchise outside US, with expansion team set to begin play in 2026
Toronto has been awarded the WNBA's first franchise outside the United States, with the expansion team set to begin play in 2026.
With 10K providers offering care to 2M seniors, health minister defends dental plan
Canada's dental care plan is 'getting there' Health Minister Mark Holland said Wednesday defending the program's rollout that's now seen two million seniors sign up, but just 10,000 oral health providers enrolled to treat them.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.