Salvation Army WrapAround Program Transforms Lives in Hamilton

Mike has survived against all odds and is lucky to be alive after enduring the relentless grip of addiction for two decades.

From 2019 to 2022, Mike, 59, struggled to find secure, safe housing and was either homeless, couch surfing, staying with friends, living in a tent in north Hamilton, or sleeping at local shelters, including The Salvation Army Hamilton Booth Centre, an emergency shelter for men experiencing homelessness.

“I was addicted to drugs, and it had got to the point where I was spending all my paycheque. I couldn’t pay my rent, I couldn’t function or make it to work,” Mike remembers.

Time became a blur, and he would go several days without sleeping or eating properly as he was solely focused on finding and using drugs. Mike needed transformative support to reclaim his life and while living at the Hamilton Booth Centre in the spring of 2021, he was introduced to WrapAround, a program that surrounds clients with a team bringing hope, direction, and guidance to help set and achieve strength-based goals.

“Mike felt stuck as he had experienced homelessness for a while and was caught up in that culture,” says Jonathan Miedema, director of spiritual care with The Salvation Army’s Hamilton, Halton, Brantford Housing and Support Services. “He demonstrated a desire to move forward with a team around to help get him on the right track.”

Mike’s five-person WrapAround team met monthly to help him prioritize the problematic areas he wanted to address, including finding stable housing, staying off drugs, finding paid or volunteer work, and maintaining positive family and personal relationships.

Jonathan says participants should not feel guilty or ashamed about their past mistakes or any setbacks they experience during the process, which for Mike and the team took one year of hard work and dedication.

“We often see a sense of hopelessness among those we serve. They feel that because they have done so much wrong in their life and their friends and family have given up on them,” Jonathan says. “Despite some relapses, we had a strong team that did not give up on Mike.”

Mike says the decision to go to rehab and move away from the memories and temptations in Hamilton were steps he would not have taken without the care and support of The Salvation Army. He is two-years drug-free and is now working part-time at a treatment centre and giving back by helping other people break free of addiction.

Mike returned to Hamilton to thank the supportive and compassionate team that wrapped their arms around him, enabling him to get to a better place.

“There is a good possibility that if I did not receive help from The Salvation Army, I’d be dead or I’d be in jail,” says Mike. “What I discovered is that I have the opportunity to become a better version of me each day. I have an opportunity to love and enjoy life each day, and I never knew that before. Today, life is something I get to enjoy and look forward to.”

Your donations to The Salvation Army make a difference in improving the lives of people in your local community. Support us today at www.salvationarmy.ca or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.