Addiction has no cure but does have a solution. We provide you that solution through 14- 16 weeks of treatment and the tools for you to build a solid foundation of recovery.
Fresh Start treatment program follows the disease concept: We see addiction as an illness that is progressive and often fatal if untreated. The good news is that with treatment and a program of recovery, you can live a healthy, happy and productive life. Located in Calgary, Alberta our facility is a 40,000 square foot purpose built home where we employ an interdisciplinary approach to treating addiction. Our program includes daily individual and group counselling sessions throughout the course of the program. This is reinforced with enhanced recreational and therapeutic activities conducted in an atmosphere conducive to physical, emotional, mental and spiritual growth. We see so many lives restored and families who have been brought together through this process. Our nationally recognized treatment program offers an individual approach to recovery. There is no one size fits all treatment. Our 14-16 week program includes individual counselling, group facilitated treatment/healing, Mike Miles Muay Thai physical training, balanced nutritional meals served by a red seal chef, Pure North S'energy assessment and support, and an opportunity to build strong recovery capital.
The peer support component of our program runs parallel to our core treatment model of integrated chronic care. We employ the 12 Step abstinence model of recovery as our base for treatment and this is supported within a bio-psycho-social model of therapy. Our goal is to send fathers back to their kids, sons back to their families and to restore them back into community as productive and content men. With our intensive treatment program, and solid community support, we see that this is reality for many of the men and their families. Our staff is integral to the success of Fresh Start. With over 300 years combined recovery experience, our dedicated team draws on both personal and professional experience for each and every person we serve. Our insight, compassion and understanding of addiction and recovery allow us to not only offer our residents a home, but also make them part of a recovery family. With a 72% group completion rate and a 53% success rate of continuous abstinence based recovery at one year. We invite you to call and see how we can help. There is always hope.....Click the video link below and meet Alumnus Shanon. He shares his story of adversity, perseverance and transformation. He is living proof that recovery works.
He Could Be The Most Resilient Person You Will Ever Meet
Meet a man who has overcome a lifetime of adversity, only to inspire others.
The Disease Concept
The overwhelming majority of medical opinion and practice supports the definition of addiction as a disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percent of people over the age of 18 who are regular drinkers – defined by at least 12 drinks in the past 12 months – is 51.5 percent.
Percentage of Canadians who are high risk drinkers:
13.6%
Percentage of current Canadian drinkers (of all ages and drinking levels) report some form of harm in the past year due to alcohol intake:
Source: national survey of canadians’ use of alcohol and other drugs: prevalence of use and related harms (June, 2005). Available at: www.ccsa.ca
20%
TO
THEMSELVES
33%
BY SOMEONE ELSE’s DRINKING
Percentage of hospitalizations directly attributable
to substance abuse:
8%
Percentage of days spent in hospital directly attributable
to substance abuse:
Source: Single, E., Robson, L., Xiaodi, X., and Rehm, J. (1996) The costs of substance abuse in Canada. Available at: www.ccsa.ca
10%
Number of babies born in Canada annually with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome:
Source: CCSA Literature Review: Evaluation strategies in Aboriginal Substance Abuse Programs: A discussion. (2004). Available at: www.ccsa.ca
1/day
Annual productivity losses in Canada in BILLIONS OF DOLLARS due to abuse of legal substances (including tobacco):
Source: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (1999) Canadian Profile 1999. Available at: www.ccsa.ca
11.8
IN BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS
Your gift changes lives.
We rely on your time, talents
and contributions to help men
on their road to recovery.
Each year, in my dad’s name, I send a donation to Fresh Start to help another man get the help he needs, so his children can have a better life. Fresh Start is nationally recognized for their addiction treatment program and I am grateful that I hear about the many fathers, grandfathers, brothers and sons who do get better ... and the families who get better and stronger as a result.
Your gift to Fresh Start Recovery Centre of up to $50 US through the Global Giving Little by Little challenge will earn an extra 50% in matching funds starting right NOW and lasting until 10PM MDT on Friday, August 16th, while matching funds last!
Little by little, your contributions, and those of the friends you share this with, will help 18 men get better and create a better life for the little people who rely on these men. Here is a letter from Brandon, a son whose dad didn’t get treatment and now advocates for addiction recovery, so men like his dad CAN get the help they need.
My dad was many things, a fireman, a hockey coach, a scrabble player and the best waffle maker in our city (in my opinion) - but growing up his struggle was like an intermittent undercurrent pulling us down and suddenly swirling our family in any direction without warning.
He always had a job, we always had food on the table, he was kind, he was loving and he was loved. My dad was a good man. My dad was also unwell. For many years my mom would try and clean up his messes (and hers) to keep the illusion that we were a “good family”. It was a deadly illusion … the shame and stigma they felt kept them from reaching out and getting the treatment and support he needed, frankly that we all needed.
I was too young to really do anything at the time but looking back I could feel that my parents were both quietly drowning. My dad never had the opportunity to get help and, in the end, he lost his battle with his addiction. If my mom and I could do it all over, we would have shouted it out to whomever would have listened that we needed help.
The fact is, that 75% of alcoholics and addicts hold jobs. They have families, make waffles, laugh, love, serve community and keep their commitments. It’s not until the end stages that they lose it all; which are the images that we see of what an “addict ” is. This is not an accurate picture. Substance use starts for most people in their youth and for people that have this disease - it is a tough road back.
It’s also a fact that 90% of alcoholics and addicts do not receive the help that could save their lives because they either don’t know they need help, don’t know it’s available or can’t afford it.
Each year, in my dad’s name, I send a donation to Fresh Start to help another man get the help he needs, so his children can have a better life. Fresh Start is nationally recognized for their addiction treatment program and I am grateful that I hear about the many fathers, grandfathers, brothers and sons who do get better ... and the families who get better and stronger as a result.
Your gift to Fresh Start Recovery Centre of up to $50 US through the Global Giving Little by Little challenge will earn an extra 50% in matching funds starting right NOW and lasting until 10PM MDT on Friday, August 16th, while matching funds last!
To donate simply click on the Purple Heart below
Addiction is an illness that is progressive and often fatal if left untreated. The good news is that with the treatment, support and a program of recovery that your help provides, people can and do live healthy, happy and productive lives. Thank you for partnering with us to make a difference. Together we are impacting and restoring lives.
As many of you know, we have started our social enterprise venture by joining the ranks of the awesome food trucks here in Calgary. We are kicking off our first full season and would like to give our supporters the first opportunity at booking us. Last year we served at many private events as well as workplace lunch and learns. This is a great way to introduce your coworkers and community to the gifts of recovery and the Fresh Start movement. They will be able to enjoy a recovery themed meal and they will know that when they eat with us, they are DOING GOOD with all profits helping more men and families get well.
Good Day and Happy Spring! As many of you know, we have started our social enterprise venture by joining the ranks of the awesome food trucks here in Calgary. We are kicking off our first full season and would like to give our supporters the first opportunity at booking us. Last year we served at many private events as well as workplace lunch and learns. This is a great way to introduce your coworkers and community to the gifts of recovery and the Fresh Start movement. They will be able to enjoy a recovery themed meal and they will know that when they eat with us, they are DOING GOOD with all profits helping more men and families get well. The food truck called Eleven-Eleven is part of our social enterprise project under Fresh Start Recovery Centre's umbrella thanks to the generous donation by The McCook Family Foundation.
Our menu is themed for addiction recovery, with items such as The Friends of Bill W Cheeseburger and Primary Purpose Poutine, our menu items resonate with our recovery community and elicits questions from those not fluent in the recovery language. We are here to inspire a message of hope and wellness. We employ and provide opportunities to people in recovery, and are continuing to change the conversation surrounding addiction recovery to a more positive one. Recovery saves lives and impacts families for the better. If you would like to find out pricing and/or more information please visit our website atwww.eleven-eleven.ca or contact lisa@eleven-eleven.ca
When you book with us, you can be confident that you will Eat Good and Do Good. Thank you so much - -We are honored to be able to share our lives, work and service with you.
We ARE a community that shows up for one another –whether you are a donor, supporter, family member, resident, alumni, volunteer, board member, staff or friend of Fresh Start - - this movement is about the tapestry of lives woven together to make lasting change… and change we are making. In ourselves, in others, in this city and country.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! A time for reflection, service, celebration, gratitude, family and spending time with loved ones. It can also be a difficult time for some people. If that is the case for you or a loved one, we would like to remind you to reach out or perhaps drop into the centre for a coffee and a visit. Holiday time can be best spent with others, we are staffed 24/7 and this is no different over the holidays.
We ARE a community that shows up for one another –whether you are a donor, supporter, family member, resident, alumni, volunteer, board member, staff or friend of Fresh Start - - this movement is about the tapestry of lives woven together to make lasting change… and change we are making. In ourselves, in others, in this city and country.
We are honored to be able to share our lives, work and service together with you in joy and love.
‘Tis the season to wish one another loving kindness and peace. These are our wishes for you, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays our dear friends, may you feel the love this special season.
Many Blessings,
Stacey and The Fresh Start Staff
Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. — Thomas S. Monson
UPCOMING EVENTS
Alumni Birthday Celebration
Aug-28-2019
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
411 41st Ave NE
Every month we gather and celebrate alumni who are celebrating sobriety milestones for that month. Join us as we honor them and hear about their journey of recovery. We will have cake, coffee, and fellowship afterwards. All are welcome.
