Our Stories

YOUR HELP SAVES LIVES!

TBA is very proud to announce that because of YOUR help we were able to help get Ashley into Marillac place for an entire year! Women who come to Marillac Place receive 24 hour guidance and support, continue their education and are enabled with the life-skills they need to care for themselves and their child. Shortly Ashley will also be reunited with her child and all of this is thanks to YOU! God Bless each and every one of you!

The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay Calm.

Exodus 14.14
Sincerely,
The recovered, at one time homeless, addict you used to walk past in the alleyways

GRATEFUL AND BLESSED

Wearing this shirt – Touched by Addiction, gives me hope. In a time of my life when addiction had control of my life and I was broken. I entered into Teen Challenge and surrendered myself to God and those who cared for me. Because of what God has done and the help of those at TC I am sober and living with hope.

GETTING THE HELP HE NEEDS

TBA is very proud to announce that, through your unmatched generosity, we were able to get Kody into a 1-year rehabilitation program at Teen Challenge! Kody has been struggling with alcohol for some time now and we are so proud to see him take the first and crucial step towards a better life! God Bless Kody and God Bless each and every one of you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

A PROUD SUPPORTER!

Meet Ryan!
My name is Ryan. I was 14 when I first injected prescription pain medication and in no time my drug use graduated to progressively harder substances, more often – and this change brought with it a devolved mental state. I began to struggle with mental health issues ranging from psychosis to depression, and I was regularly in-and-out of handcuffs and the psychiatric ward. I was expelled from school and my parents eventually gave me an ultimatum; excommunication from the family or seek help. I begrudgingly agreed to attend a rehab facility, It hasn’t been easy since then it took me a long time to change, but today I have attained mental stability, and I am attending Bible college with aspirations of being a pastor. I praise God that He did not leave me where I was but lifted me out of the mud and mire of my sin, set me feet on a rock, and gave me a new song to sing! 

My name is Carmine Posteraro. I am 40 years old from Niagara Falls Ontario. For years I suffered from a substance abuse addiction of drugs and alcohol. This led me down a dark path that cause me to lose many relationships especially with my family. I was fortunate enough to get into a faith-based Addiction Rehab that was very beneficial to me. I’m happy to say that I am now 17 months clean and mending many of those relationships which I had harmed previously.

Hi my name is Jordan. Approximately two years ago, I was at rock bottom addicted to crystal meth, alcohol and marijuana. I was drowning in debt due to my irresponsible spending habits, and carelessness. I always struggled with my mental health, however due to not resolving past traumas and lingering insecurities within myself, ultimately caused a fueling to the fire.

Being diagnosed with low grade depression, and anxiety my whole life, caused me to constantly feel unworthy of existing. I entered teen challenge almost two years ago, and felt Gods presence intervene for the first time in my life. The blinders slowly dissipated, and I began to see myself from the perspective of God. Love, and joy began to slowly creep its way into my heart, and I began to feel renewed, and ready to concur. Teen challenge was a major catalyst for me in terms of stripping off the old man, so that I could relearn and rebuild myself. I now have purpose in my life, and regained lost trust from those close to me. It would not have been possible without God, and I am forever grateful. Thank you TBA for this hoodie!

Hi my name is Adam,

I Battled with addiction for twelve years of my life and it slowly took everything from me, from material possessions to my mental and physical health. I have lost many friends and even a little sister to drugs. I thank God daily for his grace and mercy and for giving me another chance. My life has been completely turned around. My decision to go to treatment was met with a list of obstacles to overcome just to get in. I’m so thankful for everyone that helped me on my journey. I am proud to be a part of TBA and removing some of the obstacles to help others do the same. Please support this worthy cause. God Bless.

Hi. My name is Bob Friesen. I lost everything to Meth. Family and friends. Ended up in and out of jail, beat up many times shot and stabbed all for nothing. I ran from my problems but they always seemed to find me no matter how fast I ran. Then I went to Teen Challenge and although I didn’t get to stay for the whole 12 months I learned a lot while I was there and made some great friends too. I have only God to thank and a special woman who looked past the addiction and saw a man worth fighting for and I am so grateful. I have my kids back in my life and an amazing job too. Thank TBA for the hoodie!!!

My name is Michael Filippo, i grew up with a loving family but nearly lost it all as crack cocaine took over my life. It lead me to being kicked out of my house living in crack houses and getting arrested for aggravated assault and robbery. I didn’t care about anyone not even myself, all I worried about was what I’m going to do to get my next hit. It took me losing everything and my family to realize this isn’t a life to live. I got clean and sober at a faith based program that was 12 months. It helped me get clean and helped restore relationships with my loved ones that were shattered, to being fixed. I am now over a year clean and sober and I feel great! I thank God everyday for what he has done in my life! I support touched by addiction because it is a great cause and helps people who are suffering from this disease to have a opportunity to change their lives around and go get the help they need so they can be clean!

My name is Amanda and I have been touched by addiction.

Growing up I didn’t know my parents and I felt a deep longing and disconnect from myself that I had no idea how to identify. I never felt like I belonged anywhere or really fit in with anyone. I never truly felt loved or understood.

At 14, I suffered a trauma that drove me off the edge and into addiction. I was empty and hollow and drugs filled me up. It started with casually taking Ecstasy on the weekends, to being completely high all day everyday because the coming down made me want to die.
It starts an escape, then we try to escape from it, desperately, sometimes losing our lives on the process. I lost friends to overdoses and watched them go to jail. I got lucky. So lucky.
It was one day I began to hallucinate out of no where in the middle of the day not high that scared me. It continued for days until called a friend and he told me that was “normal” for what I was doing.

See, the body builds up a tolerance for drugs pretty quick, so while I started with ecstasy, it quickly escalated to mixing all kinds of substances together just to feel…. chasing that first high.
I finally stopped after hitting my version of rock bottom, doing crack and almost overdosing in a dealers bathroom. Mixed with the hallucinations I knew I was going to die and something just said no more.
I called my mom, who was living in New Zealand at the time, but still had a house in Alberta, and told her I needed help. Even though she may had not been there for me growing up, she was there when I needed her at my most desperate… and she also had been an addict when she was younger.

I quit cold turkey, which I truly believe helped keep me clean because I never wanted to experience the excruciating withdrawals ever again.
It took me years to rebuild my soul. The drugs were out of my system but the pain, shame, and guilt were not. I worked hard over the last 10 years to become a person to be proud of.

I’m now a Life Coach who works with those afflicted with mental health issues and addictions. I help them integrate into their lives and come back stronger, wiser, and with more self love. I don’t want it to take them 10 years like it took me.
Touched By Addiction Canada is doing invaluable work, it’s not something you can really put a price on, because they’re right in the thick of it, helping those who need it in their desperate moments.I had my mom, some people have no one to help them and that’s why I’m so blessed to be a part of this movement and know these incredible humans.

Buy the clothes, donate…
Remember, addiction is unhealed pain. It’s pain in action. And we all know pain, which means we’ve all been afflicted. 

Much love  never give up. A better life awaits

Hi, my name is Rena and I’ve been touched by Addiction. Forty yearsago, I gave birth to a beautiful bright eyed baby boy who is now a grown man and SOBER for 20 months. I thank the Lord every day for saving my son Carmine from the demons – the Drugs that have taken over his life for many years. As a parent we can relate and feel a child’s pain. I am extremely proud of Carmine for having the strength and courage to now talk about his addiction and create awareness to help others. Carmine was a witty very intelligent bright young boy.  He enjoyed his family, friends and played Football in hopes of gaining a scholarship to a University, until he was stricken with an injury and his life totally changed. Following knee surgery, he was prescribed Percocet’s which led to years of a drug roller coaster a ride and depression. It was a very unhealthy lifestyle and several times he was near death.

For many years my heart would break watching my son struggle with addiction.  It consumed his life and changed ours. Carmine hit rock bottom about three years ago and decided that he wanted to change his life, get his family and friends back,  and lead a normal life. In August 2018, Carmine entered a rehabilitation center called Teen Challenge which is faith based and located in London Ontario. He was able to get stronger in faith with the Lord as well as healthy again and DRUG free! His story didn’t end there. Unfortunately, a year ago, in March 2020, he was stricken with the COVID-19 19 virus and Carm was near death again and in an induced Coma for 12 days.  Carm fought through! God saved him again and I have my son back!!

His battle with addiction affected our entire family. I was first and foremost an enabler, but also a mother who would never give up! Carmine is now enjoying his friends and family and his biggest joy is being an uncle to his niece and nephew and a brother to his sister!

We have all been touched by addiction in some capacity. We ALL know someone out there who is suffering quietly, ashamed and stuck with battling various addictions- a friend, mother, father, uncle, husband, sister, niece, nephew, co-worker or neighbor. Addiction is a disease that quietly kills. Carmine and I are part of a movement to create awareness particularly here in Niagara. Touched by Addiction was started by two young men who Carm met at the center. They started this organization to also create awareness. Let’s all do our part to talk about addiction and be part of this movement. 

You can be part of the movement to remove the financials barriers so those battling addiction can get the help they need.

Please visit www.touchedbyaddiction.ca and also on facebook and help. Purchase a t-shirt or sweatshirt like the one I am wearing and provide a second chance at life for people still struggling, still stuck in that life. With every shirt or sweatshirt that is sold, all proceeds from the sale will be used to pay the admission fees for a years’ worth of rehabilitation. This program saved Carm’s life and now we want to give that same opportunity to someone in need from Niagara or beyond.

Let us end the plague and expose addiction. Be that beacon of hope and light that so many desperately need!

You can also PM me to place an order. Thank you!

I’ve been…
Touched By Addiction.

For many of you, I have known you for years, for others, maybe not.
What you may or may not know is that ADDICTION has affected me in various ways throughout the last 26 years of my life. I will not get into all of the details here because this post will be long as it is (but I’m ALWAYS willing to talk about it, so please feel free to reach out if you want to chat about it or if you have any questions).

I was first introduced to drugs when I was 12, and I am so incredibly thankful, although I continued to dabble for several years after that…. only by the grace of God, I did not become addicted. Addiction still in its messy way managed to get inside my heart, my soul and eventually my home. It stole so much from some people who have been and are very important to me. Naturally, those experiences changed me and opened my eyes to a world I hadn’t known. Addiction is ugly. Aside from the incrediby damaging things it does physically on the inside and on the outside of people’s bodies…. It also changes people. Their motivation changes for the worst, their moods change, their personality changes and I’m hardly scratching the surface.

In the last several years being involved in various ways with TC, and now working there… I continue to be touched by addiction but in a different way. Seeing men come into the program on day 1 and then watching them graduate their 12 month program. Like anything else in life, there are highs and lows and I love seeing the seeds planted, positive changes and lives restored.