From recovery to reunion: Inside a winter at Meadow Lake’s Door of Hope

“We had four clients that went to rehab,” said Sylvain, executive director of Door of Hope and manager of the Home Plate Shelter Coalition Corp. “We are looking forward to see the progress.”

Those steps forward did not come easily. Sylvain said the organization continues to follow up with clients in treatment, calling, writing letters and planning visits, while working to line up housing for them once they leave detox or rehab.

“Going through addiction is very hard,” he said. “If you have never used drugs, you will never be able to explain what is being an addict.”

Sylvain speaks from experience. He described addiction as something that cannot be understood from the outside, only lived through.

That understanding shapes how the organization works, not just as a place to eat, but as a place to rebuild.

“We are trying to work with people and looking at people as a whole.”

That approach has led to outcomes beyond individual recovery. Over the past year, Sylvain said three families have been reunited after parents were supported through treatment and connected to services.

“It doesn’t matter what you’re coming from… there is another opportunity you can change your life.”

Inside the soup kitchen, those changes often begin in ways that don’t look like programs at all – a game of pool, a shared meal, a conversation that stretches longer than expected.

“One of the things that makes me very proud… we have fostered an environment where people feel loved, where people can be heard,” Sylvain said. “They feel safe.”

He recalled spending 45 minutes playing with a child while his mother sat nearby – time that could have been spent elsewhere, but, in his view, was not wasted.

“That’s what we do,” he said. “We build rapport with our clients.”

Sylvain said that trust – built slowly and intentionally – is what makes the difference. It is often what leads someone to ask for help.

“Out of the sudden… ‘Hey bro, I wanna be with my grandkids, please. I wanna go to rehab’,” he said.

But even as those individual stories unfold, the broader picture is becoming harder.

“Our numbers are going up,” he said. “We have a lot of people using the soup kitchen.”

At the same time, donations are declining, something Sylvain said is connected to rising costs facing the community.

“The level of donations that we used to receive is not the same as last year,” he said, pointing to “financial distress” and inflation. The result is a growing gap between need and resources. The shelter and kitchen are often at capacity, with every available space in use.

“We have to put in place strategies where services will either decrease,” Sylvain said.

“That’s not gonna be good for the people. So we don’t wanna go there.”

Looking ahead, the organization is planning a fundraiser for a new building – one that would replace a facility Sylvain said is deteriorating.

“The building has mold in all of the walls,” he said. “When spring comes, we had a little lake in the soup kitchen.”

The current space struggles with poor insulation, failing plumbing and limited room. Food freezes in winter, and staff work in difficult conditions.

A new facility – estimated between $1.8 million and $2.1 million – would allow for expanded services, including private rooms for counselling, paperwork and visiting professionals. The organization also looks to secure support from municipal, provincial and federal partners.

He also said their work would not be possible without the people and organizations behind it.

Sylvain thanked local churches, agencies and donors, including MLTC, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and Flying Dust First Nation, along with businesses that continue to contribute food, supplies and services.

He also highlighted Meadow Lake Home Hardware for providing free cleaning supplies to the shelter on a monthly basis, as well as other businesses on Main Street that regularly support the operation.

—

cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

From recovery to reunion: Inside a winter at Meadow Lake’s Door of Hope

What's Trending