Oxford House is on Facebook and Twitter!

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addiction, Alberta, Calgary, Canada, caring, community, compassion, connecting, Diana Schwenk, dry housing, Edmonton, facebook, home, Hump Day Chronicles, non-profit, Oxford House, recovery, stories, Twitter

Meet Earl, Oxford House’s Program Coordinator and Tracey, Finance Coordinator and Vince, Support Worker and yup, that’s me at the end as we appear on our new Oxford House Facebook page!

See that yellow oval circle I drew around the sign up button? That’s where you would click on our Facebook page to sign up to receive awesome emails from us. And that’s just what I’m asking you to do. Sign up and like our page. You can also find us on twitter @OxfordHouseAB!

It just blows my mind that as of today, I’ve been at Oxford House for 271 days and I’m feeling very grateful to be here. I’ve participated in two events. Arranged for three plaques to be given to generous funders. Developed and implemented a monthly donor program. Sent out a media release for needed items during the holidays. Created an annual report. Thanked countless folks for their generosity. Pulled and analyzed loads of data and…and can you tell I’ve been in up to my armpits in stats???

Yet stats are only what we use to back up our incredible stories and that, as you know if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, is what really turns my crank. Because stories are what connect us.

Like Janice who told me in a matter-of-fact way, “I’ve been a low-life my whole life.” Heart-breaking words, but it’s not unusual for people to feel this way when they first come to Oxford House.

“I love it here,” she said while we chatted on the phone.

Believe it or not, it’s also something she has to get used to – living in a sober house, free from the pressure of people enticing her to have a drink, that is.

Last year Janice was in a serious car accident that resulted in brain damage leaving the whole left side of her body numb.

She spent a month of her four-month stay at the hospital in a coma. “It was a wakeup call.”

More determined than ever, Janice signed up for a six-week treatment program and then applied for housing with us.

Since living here, Janice is grateful to have a place to call home. “It is hard sometimes, I feel lonely.” But she’s working on that too, having recently signed up for an art journal course and registering with a job placement agency.

Janice is not a low-life. And we will stick by her until she knows this for herself and is ready to move on.

I think we can all relate to Janice in the sense that we’ve all had wake up calls, we’ve all felt lonely and deficient in some way. I know there have certainly been times when I’ve felt that I didn’t quite measure up.

Our stories and your stories and their stories form a beautiful tapestry of our collective human experience.

And that’s why we want to share our stories with you. And we really, really want you to share your passions and stories with us.

So what do you say?

Will you connect with us on Facebook and Twitter?

I hope you say yes by clicking the links above!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

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What Does Home Mean To You?

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addiction, Calgary, caring, community, courage, Diana Schwenk, dignity, dreams, family, health, home, Hump Day Chronicles, joy, laughter, life, living in the moment, non-profit, Oxford House, Purpose, recovery, Relationships, sobriety

As most of you know, I started working at Oxford House Foundation of Canada as their Development Coordinator in May.

Essentially, I am the fundraiser, community engager, the Talker as one of my co-workers recently declared, and whatever else is required to help out when needed.

And I am happy to do it!

It would be somewhat of an understatement if I were to say I love it there, but I’m not quite sure how to say it differently.

All I know is that the people I work with were quick to welcome me to the Oxford family, and their passion and commitment for the organization and the work they do is inspiring.

They make me want to do a really, really good job!

For those of you who do not know, Oxford House is a network of 30 houses in Calgary and Edmonton that provide homes for over 140 men and women who are in recovery from addictions.

The concept is simple. Contribute your share of the household’s expenses and chores. Stay clean and sober. Join the workforce and take your life back.

Recovery is possible in an Oxford Home. And men and women in recovery benefit greatly from the peer-to-peer support they find in each other and the support they receive from dedicated staff who have lived experience, most of whom are also alumni of an Oxford home!

It takes hands to build a house. It takes hearts to build a home.

Speaking of home. It’s been the talk around our proverbial water cooler lately.

Our Oxford family has really embraced the word home.

Because we know that a house is just four walls. It keeps out the weather.

It provides security from the outside world. It gives you a place to be when there’s nowhere else to go.

But a home…

that’s where friends and family gather.

A home is where you can put your feet up and relax.

Home is where you sit around the table, eat a meal together, share your hopes and your dreams, ask for advice. Cry until you laugh. Laugh until you cry.

Home is where you can challenge others to be their best and also be challenged yourself toward the same end.

Yeah, sure, sometimes it hurts, but it comes from people who care and that makes it a precious gift.

Yes, home has become a theme; in our houses and at the office. Whenever we talk about programs or events or gatherings, we think about how to create a sense of home.

What images are conjured up when you think of home? What’s your favourite childhood memory of home? Does it seem  like I’m picking your brain for more images of home? So what? We’re all friends here, right? ❤

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What does home mean to you?