Faith&Friends
SOMEONE CARES
From Trauma to Triumph The Salvation Army helped Kate escape a family legacy of alcohol and drugs. by Michelle Boileau
Bridging the Divide “The Salvation Army helped me find my way,” says Kate, here with her daughter
K
ate’s childhood and early years were filled with trauma and significant challenges: a family with a history of addiction and a mother, a crack addict, who left when Kate was 12. Addiction was a family legacy that took its toll when Kate spent her early adult years partying and abusing alcohol and drugs. “I was angry and had a bad attitude,” says Kate. “I lived in and out of transition homes and used alcohol and cocaine as coping mechanisms. When I had my daughter, I didn’t want her to endure what I did as a
26 • OCTOBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca
child, so I moved us away from it all.” By 19, Kate was a single parent, living on social assistance, hungry and desperate. She left her hometown and moved to Prince George, B.C., to be near an aunt who helped steer her in the right direction. “It was difficult for me to ask for help, fearing I would be judged by my mother’s reputation,” says Kate. “Then, one day, I walked through the doors of The Salvation Army’s food bank looking for help for myself and my daughter. I quickly learned their services were for everyone.”
