“My dad beat my mom until she was a rag doll,” says 49-year-old Billy. “At times I thought he would kill her. That’s only one of my childhood memories.” Billy’s dad was drunk all the time. And his heavy drinking resulted in physical altercations. Every night Billy cranked up the volume on his radio to  […]

If you asked Patricia, she’d tell you that The Salvation Army helps mothers provide nutritious meals for their families. Paul would share that The Salvation Army offers people with addictions the opportunity to break their dependency on drugs and alcohol. Keith would highlight how The Salvation Army helps former offenders reintegrate into society and gain  […]

A new music-therapy program at The Salvation Army’s Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre in Victoria, B.C. is changing lives. “Friday afternoon music jam is not only therapeutic, but fun and motivating,” says Nathan Swartz, program coordinator. “Music can be a powerful thing. It gets peoples’ minds off their troubles. When the guys are playing I know  […]

The Salvation Army is embarking on an innovative, hard-hitting and informative advertising campaign to address real issues facing the Nation’s younger demographic. Creative wall posters in more than 10 universities across the country, and print ads in university or similar urban publications, will not only capture the attention of, but will make an emotional connection  […]

For as far back as he can remember, Keith was told he was worthless and stupid. The emotional and verbal punches of his father cut deep, but the physical abuse that followed pierced even deeper. “The only thing I was terrified of as a kid was my dad,” says Keith. While Keith’s father was well-respected  […]

The statistics are not good. About 6,700 Canadians die each year as a result of drinking alcohol. Paul’s story “For 20 years, it was just me and a bottle,” says Paul, rethinking his alcohol abuse. “Although I cheated death several times and lost all that was important to me, I defended my addiction to the  […]

In Midland, Ontario, spare change is still in demand, homeless people are looking for support and places to stay, and others on the fringe just need someone to talk to. Situations don’t change quickly but given the opportunity, they can. In a rubber-meets-the-road type of ministry, The Salvation Army is combing streets, parks and trails—anywhere  […]

Addiction is not picky. It can, and does, attack anyone from any walk of life. Since November 2011, and in response to community need, Fireside Addiction Services in Chilliwack, B.C. is mending broken people, one life at a time. The idea for an addiction centre in Chilliwack, which serves the Fraser Valley, came after The  […]

Victoria – On May 11 The Salvation Army participated in “Stigma Stomp Day”, an event during Mental Health Awareness week that was designed to educate and raise awareness of the stigma’s attached to people experiencing mental health/addiction issues. The event included food, fun, entertainment, and speeches by members of the community who experienced the power  […]

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