FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
– June 24, 2024 –
UGM’s New Women’s Recovery Home Is The First Of Its Kind For Women And Babies In Greater Victoria
UGM has become one of the leading providers for live-in recovery options for women in B.C.
(Greater Victoria, B.C.) – This summer, new moms in Greater Victoria will be able to access addiction recovery services closer to home. For decades, women in Victoria have had extremely limited recovery options available to them, and none offered a recovery option for new moms to bring their infants. Union Gospel Mission, with its proven track record providing wraparound recovery support for new moms seeking recovery, recognized the unique gap and opportunity to step up. Arrow Home, opening this summer, is a safe and warm house where women will be able to heal with supportive staff, immersed in community, and not separated from their infants.
“I had so many friends die from toxic drugs, and at the peak of my addiction I was using fentanyl everyday—I knew it could be me next,” says Hannah , a Women’s Recovery Program alumna who moved from Victoria to Vancouver to access UGM’s services. “I was 31 when I ended up collapsing on the street… in Victoria trying to detox on my own. I wanted help but I didn’t know where to get it, and there was nothing available for me [at that time] on the Island.”
UGM hopes to ensure women, particularly new moms, in Victoria don’t experience what Hannah did. Since 2020, the rate women are dying because of the toxic drug crisis in British Columbia has doubled. Women need to have more accessible recovery options to seek treatment, heal and thrive.
Arrow Home will be a haven for six women, and their babies, at a time to live together and recover while going through UGM’s program for up to 12 months. Flooded with natural light and surrounded by lush and spacious gardens, the Home will be an optimal setting to nurture life transformation.
Moms can face many barriers to seeking recovery. Whether it’s facing societal shame, the fear of losing their kids, or not knowing where to access the right treatment, Arrow Home will provide safe, stigma-free, and compassionate care to moms in Victoria.
“With the addition of Arrow Home, UGM will have four women’s recovery locations in rural, urban, and suburban settings,” says UGM spokesperson Nicole Mucci. “This makes UGM one of the leading service providers in B.C. for women’s recovery services. We know moms in Victoria want to recover — but they don’t want to leave their babies. Now, through Arrow Home, they won’t have to.”
MEDIA EVENT DETAILS
Date: June 26, 2024
Time: Media wishing to attend are welcome between 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM.
Where: Arrow Home, Saanich — please RSVP and Nicole will provide the address. To protect the safety and security of the women who will be living at Arrow Home, we will not be making the address public.
- Both Nicole Mucci and Hannah will be at Arrow Home on January 26th for media interviews and a home tour.
- Please RSVP to nmucci@ugm.ca. Upon arrival at Arrow Home, please look for Nicole Mucci welcoming you to the home.
CONTACT
Nicole Mucci
Media Relations & Communications Manager
778-999-3985
nmucci@ugm.ca
ABOUT UNION GOSPEL MISSION
Union Gospel Mission has been feeding hope and changing the lives of men, women, youth, and children for more than 80 years. Through its ten locations in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria, UGM provides emergency shelter, meals, outreach, career development counselling, education, safe and affordable housing, addiction recovery, and much more to those struggling with poverty, homelessness and addiction. The heart of UGM is to demonstrate God’s transforming love, ease the burden of those who are vulnerable, and come alongside people who feel cast aside. To learn more, visit www.ugm.ca.
