Mental Health and addiction issues are facing so many in our community and if you are passionate about offering hope to those struggling with either, or both, of these issues, you may want to consider offering your support to the amazing team at Ozanam Recovery House, a 19-bed transition home that has been in helping men aged 19 and above since 2007.
“Our mission is to provide our residents with a home, health and hope,” says Jamie Dale Walters, Ozanam’s house and program manager. “Everyone entering Ozanam comes to understand that addictions are a symptom of underlying causes and recognises the need to find fundamental transformation for their lives.”
“Each year approximately 50 men have their lives transformed,” continues Jamie. “Not all find immediate sobriety, but all find change. Some find themselves housed where they weren’t before. Others find supports they didn’t previously have. Still others learn about themselves in ways they were not able to discover before. These men are becoming less of a burden on society and, in many ways, are now contributing. This is a wonderful thing to be a part of.”
Key to the organization’s mission is to first provide a safe home for the disadvantaged men suffering from addiction, to promote recovery of health in a stable drug and alcohol free environment and to foster hope for the men to return to independent living and a wholesome lifestyle.
Helping to support this transformation is a small staff team and dedicated Board of Directors and the society is reaching out to the community to look for additional volunteers to step up and join the Board, which oversees house operations, secures grants and funding sources and establishes the strategic direction of the organization. Currently they are in specific need for board members with expertise in fund-raising, communications and those with an interest in addictions and mental health issues. To get involved email board@recoverykelowna.ca.
“I would also love to see someone who has an interest in managing our volunteers’ efforts to contact me,” says Jamie. “We get people looking to help with different community projects and we need someone that can coordinate these efforts. It is an opportunity for someone to help design our volunteer program and to share their organizational skills.”
The impact of volunteers is truly felt by everyone at Ozanam, including residents, pther volunteers and staff.
“Our volunteers show us the true warmth of humanity. It is truly a blessing when someone gives of themselves without the expectation of anything in return,” says Jamie, sharing one of his favourite examples of this. “We have doctors and various other professionals in the community do our grocery shopping for us. It is a real benefit to us and they really enjoy doing something so simple that really benefits our men in such a direct and tangible way.”
Contact Jamie today to make your tangible impact.
Social media & contact information:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OzanamRecoveryHouse/
Email: manager@recoverykelowna.ca
Phone: 250.575.2673
Website: https://www.recoverykelowna.ca/
VolunteerConnector: https://www.volunteerconnector.org/kelowna/ozanam-recovery-house
Dorothee Birker is the communications and development coordinator for KCR Community Resources. If you are interested in sharing your volunteer or organizational news, please contact Dorothee at dorothee@kcr.ca.
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