As the weather turns to spring, a season of new beginnings, Quintin Warner House (QWH) turns the page to a new chapter in its history.
With a long tradition of service at the intersection of health and homelessness (via addiction treatment for men), QWH continues to position itself to meet need at the point of need. It is completing an expansion of treatment beds and a move to renovated space on York Street.
Over the past year, thanks to donations and the support of our community, the former Crashbeds space at 457 York Street, has been renovated and converted to a bright and welcoming environment for men in treatment.
While awaiting its new space, QWH has been busy expanding the service offering to double the number of beds. We now offer 20 beds (up from 10) at a time, opening up the opportunity for treatment to many more who struggle to break free from addiction. QWH is a supportive place where men can work to overcome addictions and address issues like anger and trauma histories. It promotes healthy living not only through counselling, but also through life skills coaching, spiritual awareness, goal setting and recreational activity.
As part of the Ontario government’s $90 Million Addiction Recovery Fund, QWH has received $584,000 per year for two years to kick-start the additional treatment beds. With the opioid crisis still raging, if not worsening, this service expansion is critical and important to achieve quickly. It has been made possible through temporary leasing of space, as well as the resilience and creativity of staff managing the transition period until new space could be made ready.
With renovations nearly complete, plans are beginning to unveil the space, and for participants to move in some time in May. It has been a long road to this point, but one we believe worth travelling.
QWH is one of very few live-in addiction treatment programs of its kind in the entire province of Ontario. Hundreds of lives have changed with the help of staff, volunteers and community supporters who have given of their time, talent and treasure to help men in need. Grads often contact the program when passing through London, just to visit, to give us an update on their sobriety and sometimes proudly show us photos of their children and grandchildren. These young lives are living proof that the service we offer today, can ripple into future generations in a positive way, changing not only the life of the man in treatment today – but of his family (even members of it yet unborn).
At Mission Services of London (MSL), we view human life from a holistic standpoint that includes mind, body and spirit. As a matter of fact, Quintin Warner House was named after Anglican clergy Canon Quintin Warner, an early partner in our work, and an advocate of addiction recovery in Canada.
Our holistic approach finds expression in recovery services to this day; the recent addition of Harry Soedarmasto as Chaplain on staff, has meant consistent spiritual care availability in-house to QWH participants, and to others throughout Mission Services. Participants can choose to avail themselves of Harry’s listening ear and pastoral care as they walk their rehabilitation journey, or ponder big questions for their life ahead.
‘Tis a season of new beginnings for QWH, all in the spirit of meeting need holistically at the point of need – an attitude of service that has motivated us since Mission Services of London’s inception 72 years ago.
Written by Ericka Ayala Ronson, Executive Director, Mission Services of London