Addiction services in rural communities are hard to come by, but are crucial in the recovery process.
Anita McFadden understands how difficult recovery can be, and how important it is to receive support from a nurturing community.
McFadden went through addiction and mental health issues herself, which she describes as a “battle of a lifetime.”
Her experience with addiction in combination with her certifications in peer support and brain development related to mental health and addictions
She started More To Me Peer Support Services right here in Sackville just last June to create a support network for those struggling with substance use disorder.
AM: It doesn’t seem like that long ago, I was fighting a battle of a lifetime myself. I battled addiction and mental health issues, and all of the losses that come along with those. I have several years sober under my belt now, but I have developed a passion for helping others that are going through some of the same things that I did. This passion inspired me to learn more and to help create resources that weren’t available when I needed those resources. So More To Me Peer Support Services is the result of that inspiration, and it’s a stepping stone to much more.
AM: So More To Me Peer Support is a non-judgmental environment. We offer emotional and social support through understanding from shared experience, of course. It’s a way of inspiring and supporting peers. Individuals can reach out to us through our website, mtmpeersupport.com, or on Facebook under M2M Peer Support Services, or they can also reach out by phone. We take all their information, and we book an intake appointment with them to see what services best suit their needs. We help peers to develop their own goals, create strategies through empowerment, and take concrete steps towards building a fulfilling and self-determined lives for themselves. We have already received very positive feedback and observed progress in our community.
AM: If they need support, they can reach out to us as I said, by website, phone or on Facebook. Anyone who’s looking to give support, we’re always looking to add to the peer support team. Anyone is welcome to reach out to me for more information regarding training and courses to volunteer peer support. We are a volunteer service, peer support initiatives have a great impact on a person’s journey of recovery, and the success I’ve seen is amazing. However, despite its effectiveness, peer support programs receive very little funding. So we actively fundraise and we use donations from our community to keep the service running and available for the individuals who are struggling.
MC: Okay, if somebody wanted to donate to More To Me, how could they do that?
AM: Donations can be forwarded through email at info@haffoundation.com, and they’re always welcome to call us and we can give them all the information to make a donation.
MC: Okay, lovely. Switching gears a little bit, can you tell me about the Hope and Freedom Foundation you’re working on?
AM: Yes, so Hope and Freedom was developed. As I said, it’s a stepping stone off of More To Me. We realize where the need is really needed and we go from there. So the Hope and Freedom Foundation is a not for profit organization. It’s run by three board members, myself and two others. We are in the planning phases of having a long term recovery for substance abuse. We are working closely with, of course, all government departments to make sure that we’re doing everything properly. Addiction isn’t pretty and it’s time for a change. Recovery is within reach, and we’re here to help. We are trying to create a safe place for people to come and get everything they need to get themselves on the road of recovery. So it will be a three phase program to offer treatments, and get them out to more independent living and sober living homes. There’s aftercare as well, that will be associated with that. It is a long process, but we are in the planning stages of that.
MC: Okay, I was just going to ask how far along you were but you’re still in the planning stage. Just in the planning stages right now?
AM: Yes. We have to fundraise. We have an accountant, and we have someone looking into federal and provincial grants for us. But we are actively fundraising and accepting donations towards the Hope and Freedom Foundation.
More to Me Peer Support is available to all who struggle with substance use.
More To Me Peer Support’s office at 170 Main Street is currently closed due to orange phase restrictions, but it is still operational.
McFadden is also fundraising for the Hope and Freedom Foundation on gofundme.
More to Me is available over the phone at (506) 381-1803 or by email at mtmps902@gmail.com.
