Posted by admin on March 8, 2012 · 1 Comment
She wheeled the stroller into drop-in. It was a bitterly cold day and the bundle inside the stroller was barely recognizable…But WE knew who it was! Since we have known Gladys, she has been talking about gaining full custody of her granddaughter who was in the foster care system. She and her husband are housed, receive a pension and were fighting hard to get three year old Amy back. They had a lot of hoops to jump through, but they did it and as she walked into the drop-in a couple of weeks ago, Gladys could barely contain her joy. Once she was freed from the confines of her snowsuit, Amy mirrored her grandma’s big smile and said that she got to live with grandma and grandpa ALL the time now! She talked non-stop about how much she loved being with her grandparents and how happy she was. This couple doesn’t live high-off-the-hog, but they have a lot of love to give this little girl and she has a lot of love to give back. We count ourselves blessed to be a part of their support system!
Kim
Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas cheer, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, Events, General Poverty, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, meaning of christmas, mental health, mental illness, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with
Posted by admin on March 2, 2012 · Leave a Comment
“Excuse me m’am…do you have any bus tickets? I have to get to an appointment this afternoon.” I was speaking with a couple of our friends at drop-in this week when a quiet and somewhat unsteady woman approached me and posed the question. I answered that we only give out tickets from the office and that there was no one there right now. I was just starting to tell her that I would double-check that when Corie, one of the friends in the group I was standing with, reached into his pocket and gave her 2 loonies. He doesn’t have much himself. Each week he gets a bag of groceries from our food-bank and I know that the ends don’t often meet in his budget. To say that I was humbled would be an understatement, but we see examples of generosity in the street community all the time. At the office the other day, one of our friends gave his gloves to another because he had a warm place to sleep and the other guy didn’t. I think we’re often guilty of thinking that we have so much to teach our street friends…but maybe…it’s the other way around.
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Posted by admin on February 10, 2012 · Leave a Comment
If you look at me, and squint really hard, I look like God.
Whoa! Don’t be hasty! Unless you ask my little sister, I’m not that cocky. What I mean is, I’m made in God’s image. If you’d like to use a different metaphor, I have my Father’s eyes.
I bring this up because sometimes people ask me what I do when I volunteer with OIM. This is an easy one to answer! I do exactly what God has always intended I do in every single interaction I have with any human being (street engaged or not): I try my best to look like God. Polish up that blurry image so that it’s as clear a likeness as possible.
So whether I’m sharing a laugh in an after hours Laundromat, debating the best legal strategy for a court appearance, huddling in a doorway to discuss the impact of Winterlude on the street engaged population, or peering into the corners of a market parking garage, what I’m hoping for is that someone will see me, do a double-take, and then see God.
It’s only fair. Because it’s a pretty regular occurrence for me to turn a corner, see one of my street friends, and catch a strong glimpse of God.
And I usually don’t even have to squint.
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Posted by admin on January 27, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Going to work this morning, I came down the same hill at the same time and saw the same bus going up the other side. I got on my usual bus with the same driver and saw the same people going about their routines too. Before that, I got up, checked my email…watched the morning news as I had my coffee and said goodbye to my family as I do every morning.
Routine…predictability…we might be tempted to see it as boring…but it’s actually healthy! Of course we like to shake it up every now and then to keep it interesting, but mental health experts say that routine and knowing what tomorrow will bring is a key factor in your overall health. The stress of not knowing what tomorrow will look like can be seen first in a lowered immune system leading to frequent illness, and chronic stress leads to changes in the very biochemistry of one’s body leading to conditions such as depression.
What did your morning look like? Many of the people we see at OIM woke up not knowing where they will eat today, or where they will sleep tonight. Many don’t know where they will be tomorrow, let alone in a week.
Routine…predictability…doesn’t sound so bad does it?
Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Biblical, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas cheer, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, Events, General Poverty, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, Housing, Housing Canada, Housing Ontario, Housing Ottawa, Injustice, injustice Ontario, Justice, justice canada, meaning of christmas, mental health, mental illness, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Volunteer Ottawa, Volunteering · Tagged with art therapy, Assets Based Community Development, biblical justice, break cycle poverty, christmas gift, christmas poverty, christmas spirit, Dignity, gift of christmas, help the poor, Homelessness, homelessness ottawa, Justice, Make a diference, Recovery, Respect, Street Youth, street youth outreach, walk the streets
Posted by ken on January 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Very different indeed. A bit hard to process for some, so let’s paint a picture of the reality of kids on the street. Many issues certainly, here are a few:
Physical Abuse: most kids are fleeing domestic violence. Hard as street life is, it’s viewed as better than ‘home’.
Substance Abuse: if it hasn’t already started, it comes into the picture big time when the kids hit the streets. It begins as self-medication to try to deal with pain of whatever they are facing. Then it turns into a physiological thing and then the kids need to maintain so as not to go into withdrawal.
All alone: Even though they hang out in larger groups for safety, each of these ‘tough kids’ is just a kid, like the kid across the street from you, who has HAD to put on an image in order to survive. It is a mask, necessary for survival. No support, no one to help, none. None.
Violence: is a part of it all, along with ‘survival tactics’ that are less than pretty: prostitution, drug use with needles and prescriptions and whatever else comes to hand, even running drugs for the ‘boss’ man.
We deal with these issues, portrayed through kids who mostly never had a fair chance because of their background. So we love on them, encourage them in the smallest things you can imagine, build self-esteem whenever we can, and really, just try to hang on to them.
Statistics report that there are a few levels of socio-economic backgrounds of kids on the streets, but guess what? The pimps, dealers and other exploiters, really do NOT care. They see a source of income, a piece of meat to ‘sell’, a means to their own selfish ends.
They come to us. They come every week. They have no other place to go that is positive, encouraging and supportive.
Yea, it’s hard work, and it really hurts sometimes, but we believe in these kids with all of our hearts.
Filed under About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Dignity, General Poverty, Homelessness, Injustice, Justice, justice canada, mental health, mental illness, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Social, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized, Volunteer Ottawa · Tagged with Addictions, Alcoholism, art therapy, Assets Based Community Development, biblical justice, break cycle poverty, Dignity, help the poor, Homelessness, homelessness canada, homelessness ontario, homelessness ottawa, injustice Canada, injustice Ontario, living on the streets, Make a diference, poverty ontario, poverty ottawa, Recovery, Street Outreach, street youth outreach, walk the streets
Posted by ken on December 21, 2011 · 2 Comments
This is the eighth and final episode of “Rachel’s Gift”. Listen as Rachel finally reveals her “Gift”. Invite your friends to listen and ‘catch up’ on previous episodes. If you missed episodes go to ‘Recent Posts’ from November 28 (right hand column).
Ladies and Gentlemen, here’s Rachel:
Thanks for your support for our Passion 4 Youth Art program this Christmas. Help us continue this life-changing program. Designate a donation today! Just click the ‘Donate’ button. Thanks for your special gift!
Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas cheer, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, meaning of christmas, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Recovery, Respect, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, Uncategorized · Tagged with art therapy, Assets Based Community Development, biblical justice, break cycle poverty, christmas gift, christmas poverty, christmas spirit, Dignity, gift of christmas, help the poor, Homelessness, homelessness ottawa, Justice, Make a diference, Recovery, Respect, Street Youth, street youth outreach, walk the streets
Posted by ken on December 14, 2011 · Leave a Comment
“Rachel’s Gift is an 8 part series until December 23. To listen to the audio backgrounder, click: Rachel’s Gift episode 6. If you missed episodes go to ‘Recent Posts’ (right hand column).
“I really think the work skills program is a big part of why I’ve stayed clean. It has given me structure. I have made some goals and I am working on my goals.
The way you guys talk to me, it’s not like I’m on a program, it’s like I work here. We go for lunch together and it’s really cool. I’ve never had this kind of structure in my life before, and having people really talk to me is new. People are not like talking down to me, just telling me what they think I want to hear, they just accept me for who I am.
In the work skills program, they say you should be responsible if you want to be a part of the program. You can’t be part of the program and then not follow up. They will hold you to what you say, you know? They won’t accept anything else from you.
If I didn’t have this place to come to, I don’t know where I’d be. I’d have too much free time to think about things and well you know… This place is Christian based, and that helps me a lot.
There is a light that God’s people have and I wanted the happiness that they have. I started going to church, going back to church just over a year ago. I haven’t felt better - ever.
Erin at the office is kind of my boss. It’s going really good. If she knows there’s something bugging me, she’ll come to talk to me like a real person. The other day I was upset and I thought she was upset with me, and she said, ‘No, I am not upset with you’. We talked. Then she wouldn’t let me leave without praying for me, which was really cool, ’cause I know she really cares. Nobody expects anything from you. They are always encouraging you.
I used to think it was so hard, ‘cause I felt totally alone, but now I am not alone. I have so much hope. Totally, lots of hope. I opened a bank account today. All right, yeah!”
Next Week: Closer and closer to Christmas and closer and closer to the revelation of Rachel’s Gift. Don’t miss the exciting conclusion to this great story. We do not receive on-going government funding for our programs, but instead rely on the generosity of people who care, just like you. Why not make a special Christmas donation to help us continue our youth street outreach programs. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas cheer, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, creative arts, Dignity, Drop In Services, General Poverty, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, meaning of christmas, Miracle on the Streets, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa · Tagged with
Posted by ken on December 7, 2011 · Leave a Comment
“Rachel’s Gift is an 8 part series until December 23. Go to www.chri.ca for the audio backgrounders to Rachel’s stories.
This time when I got out of jail I couldn’t go to Ottawa – I was banned from Ottawa. You know, I wasn’t supposed to be in Ottawa, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go. So, I got caught in Ottawa in a rooming house because I was taking a shower there and was arrested for a breach of probation. I went back to jail for one month and then they released me in Ottawa (laughter). I couldn’t go to my mom’s house because her husband at the time was totally against me living there. I could see why.
I got out of jail and started doing the same things that I usually do. I was staying in a heated stairwell at Nepean and Bank – it was public property so they couldn’t arrest you, just tell you to get along. When you are in drugs, people only want you at your house when you had something for them, they say, ‘I would never see you out on the street.’ But when you were in need and you didn’t have any drugs, they would say, like, ‘We can’t have people staying at our house’.
There are some places to stay when you live on the streets, but you have to be careful. Staying in a shelter was much worse – in my eyes it was like the bottom… as long as I don’t have to go to a shelter, I hadn’t hit rock bottom.
I didn’t have a place anymore, and I found a website where you could and used that to meet guys for a date… So, I stayed on the streets or maybe in hotels sometimes. I don’t know, it just became a way of life, survival.
I basically sick and tired of doing drugs, like heroin… I just couldn’t do it anymore.
I ended up in a crack house downtown: people coming and going all the time; drugs in and out like crazy, and I was still using. I had started the methadone program, but was still using street drugs. Anytime I used anything other than opiates, it screwed up my methadone and I would get even sicker.
I guess I just hit rock bottom then. Doing things I would never do and being somebody that I totally never was. People totally lost respect for me. I would overhear people talking about me, and think, ‘Is that what they really think about me?’
I just took a look around one day. I was introduced to Jesus a few years ago. When I was in jail I accepted Jesus but I was doing my own thing. Then one day, looked around and said, “Oh God, I know that this is not what you have planned for me, I just know it isn’t.”
I walked out of that place and got a place with some girls, and it was a safe place.
Next Week: The story takes a significant turn for the better. Stay connected, you don’t want to miss this!
Filed under About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, christmas on the streets, Dignity, General Poverty, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, Miracle on the Streets, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Street Youth, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada, Uncategorized · Tagged with Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, break cycle poverty, christmas gift, christmas poverty, crystal meth, gift of christmas, help the poor, Homelessness, homelessness canada, homelessness ontario, homelessness ottawa, jail time, justice system, living on the streets, poverty Canada, poverty ontario, poverty ottawa, Street Youth, street youth outreach
Posted by ken on December 5, 2011 · Leave a Comment
“Rachel’s Gift is an 8 part series until December 23. To listen to the audio backgrounder, click: Rachel’s Gift episode 3 If you missed episodes go to ‘Recent Posts’ (right hand column).
So I was at a party and I saw my mom doing a line of coke and I was shocked. “Wuh? What are you doing?” and lost my mind and I started to party real hard. I was confused and concerned and kinda wondering all at the same time.
I really started to think. My mom was using a lot, and using more and drinking and using coke and I was wondering why this was so much better than your children, than loving your children – using coke that is.
I love my mom a lot, and I still do. Whatever it was about coke, it must be good. That’s what my thinking was. I did my first line of coke shortly after that. I was seventeen.
I had been living on my own, but one of the things that happened when I discovered coke was, I couldn’t pay my rent anymore. I moved in with my boyfriend and his mom. I worked a couple of places, but I was always going in hung over. I had to get out of that small town.
I moved to Ottawa and I moved in with my dad. I had nowhere else to go. I ended up meeting this guy that my dad introduced me to, which ended up being his crack dealer, and I started dating him. My Dad was doing a lot of crack then and I ended up paying the rent – or trying at least. I was working a bit, but I was partying hard at the same time. I don’t know why, but my dad really got mad at me. I mean, he was using all the time then, not working, making deals, and I guess he looked at me and couldn’t stand to see me doing what I was doing – with the drugs and all that.
I lasted three months and then got my eviction notice – signed by the mayor. They (the authorities) basically brought boxes, packed my stuff and moved me out. My brother was in jail, but his girlfriend had an extra room and I moved in with her.
By this time I was selling drugs big time with the guy that I met through my dad. Every day was the same – using more and more, all the time. I got busted and went to jail for a while.
When I got out of jail I had nowhere to go, I was just like floating around.
Next week: Rachel really does ‘hit the bottom’. More drugs, living on the streets, the crack house… the cycle continues with no apparent escape. What will happen next?
OIM does not receive on-going government funding to operate any of our programs, but instead we rely on the good will donations of concerned citizens and business owners in the National Capital Region. We need your help to continue our youth outreach program. Please make a donation today. Click “Donate” at the top of this page. Thanks!
Filed under About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Breaking the cycle of poverty, Christmas, Christmas giving, christmas on the streets, christmas spirit, Dignity, gift of christmas, homeless christmas, Homelessness, meaning of christmas, Passion for Youth art program, Personal Experiences, Poverty, Poverty in Canada, Recovery, Respect, Street Outreach, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa, systemic poverty canada · Tagged with Addictions, Alcoholism, break cycle poverty, christmas gift, christmas poverty, crystal meth, Dignity, gift of christmas, help the poor, Homelessness, homelessness canada, homelessness ontario, homelessness ottawa, jail time, living on the streets, Make a diference, poverty Canada, poverty ontario, poverty ottawa, social justice, Street Youth, street youth outreach
Posted by ken on October 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment
We wish to invite you to our next PASSION 4 YOUTH ART AUCTION showcasing the artwork and musical talents of street-engaged youth this THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10 from 7pm to 9pm @ Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper St.
Why an ART PROGRAM for STREET-ENGAGED KIDS?
Imagine growing up with no support, friends, security or encouragement. Running away from home because of domestic violence and abuse. You hit the streets with all its darkness, but it’s better than what you left.
It’s like stepping up to the batter’s plate with three strikes already against you.
Then you find there is a safe, clean, dry, welcoming space where you are able to let your creativity flow, join with other people just like you, and find freedom to do whatever you like with paint, canvas and brush.
A volunteer comes along and looks at your art, and you hear words you have never, ever heard in your entire life: “That is beautiful. Did you do that? I would love to have that in my living room. Can you tell me more about it? What inspired you?” And they listen to your story.
Can you imagine what that would be like? To have someone you just met show that kind of interest in your life? When you’ve lived your entire 19 years ‘learning’ you will never amount to anything, never get a job, finish school or make any kind of positive contribution to anyone, anywhere?
Or maybe it’s someone who wants to buy your art, not because they are doing an act of charity, but because they really like your work. They think it’s great! And you tell them.
A few words of encouragement, just those, might just be enough to turn a life around!
Filed under ABCD, About OIM, Addictions, Alcoholism, Assets Based Community Development, Breaking the cycle of poverty, creative arts, Events, Homelessness, Passion for Youth art program, Poverty, Street Youth, street youth art program, Street Youth in Canada, Street Youth Ottawa · Tagged with ABCD, art therapy, Assets Based Community Development, break cycle poverty, Dignity, living on the streets, Street Youth, street youth outreach
