People
Communitas a Source of Strength
When we first told Darlene’s incredible story, she was learning to find her voice, to advocate for herself, and become more confident. That she was strong and resilient was without question: her life was marked with incredible losses and grief that would have crushed most people. Yet Darlene not only survived, she found ways to thrive.
Darlene says that part of that success was due to her connection to Communitas.
“The people I have met here and the experiences I have had, helped me build up my confidence and my self-esteem,” she says. “It was here that I found work, friends, camaraderie. It gave me a life outside myself.”
Darlene is an alumni of the Supported Independent Living services, which supports people on their mental health recovery journey. She went on from there to find employment at Little Sprout Café, where she continued to grow in confidence while she supported herself with an income.
But health issues forced her to step back from that work. She has had two back surgeries and is awaiting another. She continues to experience physical pain but the loss of a job that she thoroughly enjoyed was nearly as painful.
“I’ve really been impacted by loss. I lost physical abilities, my social connections, my income, and that impacted my mental health,” Darlene explains.
Darlene says that if it had not been for the support she has received at Communitas, she never would have gotten through it.
“Without the confidence I have gained over the years and the increase in my self-esteem, I would not have made it,” she says. “The community that I have here is everything to me.”
Although she does not currently receive services through Communitas, Darlene has always had a deep desire to give back, as a way to pay-it-forward for all the blessings she’s received. She began attending the Friday Drop-In group at Communitas in Abbotsford as a way to support others. Even as she is doing that, she finds herself supported as well, something for which she is deeply grateful.
“My social cup gets filled every Friday,” she says. “It’s a wonderful, great group of people. I feel so loved and supported.”
While Darlene has experienced tremendous loss in her life, she still feels that she has gained a lot. Her years of support at Communitas, her opportunity to work, and her continued connections have fostered in Darlene a strong sense of self and given her a group of supportive friends. Communitas continues to be a place she can always turn to in times of struggle and times of joy. “Communitas is like my second home, I will never give up on Communitas!”
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