It was an emotional day for Krista, an alumna of Westminster House, as the recovery program received a large cheque from a charity that raises money for causes related to homelessness.
The $44,000 cheque from Hockey Helps the Homeless, which hosts hockey tournaments as fundraisers, comes just a few weeks after Krista’s daughter, 17-year-old Kayla, entered Westminster House’s youth residential substance use treatment program.
It’s one of two major donations Westminster House received last week – RBC Foundation donated $25,000 to the group to provide care for youth in recovery.
“With the opioid overdose crisis sending our communities into crisis, there is an urgent need to focus on youth mental health and addiction,” said Susan Hogarth, executive director of Westminster House, in a news release.
The recovery program is aimed at providing “the necessary tools to youth girls, so they can trust their own ability to reclaim a drug-free existence,” reads the Westminster House release.
“It saved my life. It changed my whole [perspective] on life, everything. Not only my addiction, but … parenting my children and continuing the fellowship and continuing going to meetings,” Krista said.
“I just want my daughter to feel the same … If it wasn’t for them, I’d be dead.”
RBC Foundation presented the cheque to Westminster House last Friday, while Hockey Helps the Homeless presented the cheque on Thursday, with Krista, who is caring for her one-year-old grandson while her daughter goes through the program, in attendance.
“I’m very overwhelmed, emotional, very grateful,” Krista said. “I just hope that Kayla will be able to continue the program, continue this journey for herself and her son, who deserves to have his mom in his life.”
Kayla has struggled with substance use since she was just 13 years old, Krista said, adding that when her daughter entered the program 16 days prior to the cheque presentation event, she was “completely dead.”
Krista, who went entered the Westminster House recovery program in June 2015, got to see her daughter for the first time since she entered the program a day before the cheque presentation, and said she thought Kayla was going to be upset with her.
“Seeing her 15 days later, it was like seeing my daughter again. Her eyes were my daughter’s, and she had colour in her cheeks. And she’s like, ‘Mom, this place is amazing,’ ” Krista said.
“I’m pretty amazed by the progress she’s made in 15 days.”
