Mike Toth says he and his staff are hoping to change lives – perhaps save lives – by offering free addictions counselling at their new resource centre on Davis Street.
Toth is executive director of The Annex that opened Sept. 9 in central Sarnia where homelessness and people dealing with addictions are increasingly visible.
He likens The Annex and its services to a M.A.S.H. unit that tries to stabilize people before they can access more formal treatment.
“A lot of people are falling through the cracks because there aren’t enough addiction services and the wait lists mean a rehab bed can take months to get,” Toth said.
The Annex’s goal is to provide counselling and practical help when people reach out for it and not make them wait.
“In the absence of pre-treatment, we offer help for people ready to quit,” explained Toth.
“The people we’re here for have burned their last bridge, they have no money and often no ability to look for help,” said addictions counsellor Murray Stephenson, who is also executive director at Nightlight, a drop in centre for the city’s vulnerable on Christina Street.
“It takes two or three months to get into rehab, and people often relapse or die while they wait,” said Stephenson. “So we want to help these people.”
“The beauty is we are low barrier,” added addictions support worker Cherisse Swarath. “I am really excited because The Annex makes room for everyone.”
“That includes making room for people who fail,” said Toth. “We will help those who relapse.
“We are doggedly determined.”
Currently, The Annex is open three mornings a week. In its first two weeks, 14 people with varying levels of need stopped in. More than half said they’d be back.
The Annex was established in Sarnia by Don and Ginny Trepanier. A decade ago, the couple founded a soup kitchen in St. Thomas called The Grace Café. Later, they opened The Annex next door to The Grace Café in order to provide addiction counselling and support.
When the Trepaniers retired and moved to Sarnia, they recognized a need here for the kind of outreach The Annex provides in St. Thomas, said Toth. The hope is that another Grace Café soup kitchen modelled after the one in St. Thomas will also open in Sarnia.
While Bluewater Health has seven detox beds, there are 12 in St. Thomas even though St. Thomas is half Sarnia’s population, Toth noted.
“So Sarnia’s detox is overrun,” he said. The fact is we have a huge crisis and we have to do something. Just maintaining their lives in hell isn’t an answer.”
The Annex doesn’t have government funding and it doesn’t fundraise. For now, it’s an outreach pilot project of the St. Thomas Grace Café.
“We are a Christian organization, however, faith is not a prerequisite for people to come in,” Toth said.
The Annex is open to anyone struggling with addiction as well as their friends or family. Hours are 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It’s located at 184 Davis St. between Vidal and Brock streets.
For more information, call 226-216-0863, visit www.theannexcentre.ca or check out “Annex of Sarnia” on Facebook.