Adam’s Gift to Others this Christmas

 Adam’s early life was filled with hardship and tragedy. Throughout his childhood his parents suffered from addiction and Adam also fell into addiction in his early teens. By the time he was 20 he had lost two siblings to violent death. Adam was living a life filled with anger and mistrust.

Adam came to The Ottawa Mission in 2007 desperate for help. He had heard about our LifeHouse residential addiction treatment program, and was determined to make a change.

It’s now been eight years since Adam graduated from LifeHouse, and he still can’t say enough about what he took away from the experience. “I had very few life skills when I came to The Mission. I was also angry at a lot of people in my life. I learned how to forgive – myself and others – and how to manage my addiction. These are priceless gifts, and I feel blessed.”

Adam has turned his blessings into action in the past year. He has worked hard to find a way of fulfilling his dream of using his past experiences to help others who are struggling. For the past several months, Adam has been volunteering weekly at The Mission’s Day Program where he offers encouragement and support to others who are dealing with trauma and addiction. He has also been spending time helping young offenders at another community agency. Adam is giving back in a big way.

His volunteer work is Adam’s gift to those who need help as much as he once did, and this Christmas will be brighter for many people who are struggling because of his selflessness and generosity of spirit.