Thames Salvation Army is calling for donations during its Winter Appeal to help fund initiatives such as its Recovery Church, which has helped those battling addiction and trauma since it began two years ago.
The church relies on local financial contributions and donations of household items to its Family Store in Pollen St to provide food and social services, such as counselling through its Recovery Church.
Pastors Ben and Jesse Willis said Recovery Church was held weekly for those struggling with addictions and life issues.
“You don’t have to have experience in addiction to be in recovery, we say any trauma, any feelings of hopelessness, mental health issues – we’re all in recovery from something, trying to heal, trying to find that hope,” Jesse said.
Recovery Church is held every Wednesday at 5:30pm, and is led by Katarina Edmonds and a team of five volunteers who use the 12 Steps of Life programme.
Ben said Recovery Church really worked – “we’ve got some people celebrating great milestones, amazing goals in life”.
“Some people who live in hopelessness, not only have they totally given up on themselves but everyone in their family has given up on them as well.
“So it’s a place where we’re seeing people going from that state to finding hope and finding a community of people that love them without any judgement, and that can be amazing to see.”
Often, family didn’t have the tools to help loved ones, particularly those with addictions, he said.
“Addiction is a disease that you end up hurting yourself and other people around you, even those that love you the most, so sometimes people, for their own safety, will turn away.”
Since Christmas, the church has helped more than 150 individuals and families in need.
Ben said the Winter Appeal was a way for people to give to the church financially.
“It helps go towards stocking our food banks, our addiction services like our Recovery Church, our rehab facilities, our social and transitional housing – so helping people get from no housing security at all to transitional housing for three to six months learning life skills and then into long-term housing after that.
“Some people prefer to give food, some people prefer to give money, we’re happy to accept anything. Anytime people drop off stuff to the family store, we are able to turn your old bed into cash, which might buy groceries for a family for a week.”
The church was also still helping people furnish their homes after damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle early last year, Ben said.
“It’s still going on. People might need several beds, blankets, table and chairs. All that stuff we’re able to provide for free from the family store. We think it’s reasonably priced second hand stuff for people who can afford it but if people still can’t afford it, then we’ll just give it to them.”
The Salvation Army said the Winter Appeal was more important than ever after government cuts to social services were leading to continued hardship for tens of thousands of New Zealanders.
“Across the Waikato we’re seeing an 80 per cent increase in people having been declined government help, so that’s put enormous pressure on not just Salvation Army foodbanks but all foodbanks,” Ben said. “Thames Foodbank is really
feeling the pinch as well, essentially it means you have to rely a lot more on generosity of the public, which is not great especially when everyone’s doing it tough at the moment.
“Everyone’s feeling the pinch in their family budget so to have to rely so heavily on the public for donations is where we’re at.”
Jesse said the church had its own stock of donated food for emergencies, as well as having a working relationship with the Thames Foodbank.
“We work in with them, they’ve given us a key to their foodbank so we can get food parcels from there or if we’ve got food, like fresh produce, we take it over to them.”
Ben said the church also helped those in need “holistically”.
“If they don’t have much food at home, we’ll help them out with that, and try and check out how their emotional health, spiritual health and social health is going as well.
“That’s where our Recovery Church comes in, that’s a really key spot for us of how we’re helping to address some of the social issues that are out there.
“Particularly in Thames, there’s been a lot of talk about addictions and mental health issues, about loneliness. What we’re seeing in Recovery Church is people finding hope, solutions to these life issues.”
DETAILS: Recovery Church second anniversary, August 7 at 5:30pm. All welcome. For more info or to donate, contact Ben Ph 027 522 7437.
