Meet Leonard.

He grew up in a First Nations community here in New Brunswick where he was introduced to alcohol at the age of 10 and by the age of 13, he was dabbling with hard drugs like Cocaine and Ecstasy. He never had a stable home life and was moving in and out of different family members’ homes. Leonard’s experience as a young child later translated into many years of severe substance abuse and incarceration. After he was released from jail in early 2021, the only thing he considered was finding a phone charger; Ultimately leading him to our Community Centre.

Leonard knew he was at one of the lowest points of his life and was ready for a change. “I didn’t even know that there was a men’s recovery house next to the Community Centre…” Leonard explained, “… in less than 24 hours, I knew I needed change, so I set up a meeting with a caseworker who helped me get into the program immediately.”

Leonard has been in and out of several detox and rehabilitation programs over the years. He would do fine for a while but when things got tough, he would reach for the bottle. After many failed attempts he knew that he needed a change and was finally ready to deal with his addiction and psychological issues. “Being in the program helped me realize how many deep issues I had and was afraid to deal with. But this time around I knew that I had to confront these issues because Drugs and Alcohol took everything from me multiple times in life. They had nothing else to give me.”

Since completing the Recovery program, Leonard has not only been working with Harvest House Atlantic as our Facilities Coordinator, but he has also been rekindling his relationship with his girlfriend and children who he hasn’t been able to see in close to a year. “When I walked through the door of my home and saw my children for the first time, I couldn’t help but get emotional.”

In the coming months, Leonard plans to move back to Elsipogtog First Nation to be there for his family and support others in his community who struggle with the same addictions he faced.

“Don’t ever be afraid to take that first step, it’s worth it. Harvest House Atlantic changed my life!”

**The following story represents the personal experiences and views of the participant. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Harvest House Atlantic or any individuals mentioned. Shared with permission.