STASH - St. Thomas Addicts Sharing Hope

05/17/2025

Come out and support!!!!

🚗Come support a great cause with STASH!

Join us on May 24, 2025, from 1PM - 4PM at 16 Queen Street for a fun-filled day of fundraising!

We’ll be in the parking lot running:
🔥 A sizzling BBQ
🧽 A sparkling car wash
♻️ A bottle drive to collect your recyclables

Swing by to say hello, grab some lunch, and get your car looking fresh — all while supporting a great cause!

We can’t wait to see you there! 💜

04/08/2025

Hope. 💜

The Story of The Spatula

This is som**hing I wrote 3 years ago now. Though my work has changed some - my work with The Nameless has only grown. There are moments that change us and shape us - and though the individual who inspired the story and much of the work of The Nameless is no longer with us - he will always hold a spot in my heart

Through his inspiration and the love of a community and an incredible team of incredible volunteers - we have been able to provide nearly 6 years of love and support to out communities most vulnerable. We remind them that they are worthy of love. That addiction and mental health matter - and most of all - that they matter.

“Each morning after I drop Mia off at school, I head to work wondering what the day will bring. Between Covid, the toxic drug supply on the street, the vast levels of trauma, the folx I serve, the community partners and the massive housing crisis… I never know what I’m walking into, what situations I will be faced with or if I will make the right decisions.

Today was a hard one. A lot of hurting individuals out there and I am beyond grateful that they let me “sit in the dirt” (and I mean actually I sat in the dirt) to be with them so they didn’t have to be alone.

There’s so much pain and hurt and despair out there. It’s hard to keep your head up. But with that I also see hope. A beautiful beacon that some hold on to.

I was able to accompany someone to the dollar store today. Nothing fancy but to this person it meant a lot. They were allowed in and able to browse and spent a lot of time staring at spatulas. We were there for snacks and care items but it was the spatula and how they looked at it. How they said to me “when I get a place I want that spatula” so I told them to put it in the basket. But they didn’t. They carried it around with them grabbing a few needed items. But that spatula. That 1.50 cent spatula held a s**t ton of hope of an apartment. The ability to cook their own meals. It carried so much hope.

That’s why I go to work every day. That’s why I sit in the dirt and de escalate situations and just listen and advocate. For moments like the spatula.

Thank you for reading. Much love to you all.

RIP buddy. You are so missed. I hope you’re flipping all the burgers and feel the warmth of the love for you

- A

04/07/2025

We love you Matt!

🚨 STASH Sunday Alert! 🚨

Meet Matt, one of our courageous STASH group members!

We’re sending a huge shoutout to Matt for opening up and sharing his powerful story of struggle, loss, and hope. His honesty and resilience remind us that recovery is possible—and that no one has to walk the path alone. His journey, shared with permission, is a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the power of community. 💜

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I never thought my life would come to this. Spun so far out of control that I wouldn’t know how to put myself together again. All the pieces I can gather just don’t fit in a way that makes sense to me. See, I started off my addictions and path of destruction early in life. I was smoking w**d and drinking and didn’t give a damn about what anyone had to say about it. I was old enough to take my life into my own hands and do what I wanted. But that type of thinking was a downward spiral.

Having friends and family that allowed me to sleep on their couch or give me a place to stay – I didn’t really realize the entirety of my situation. All I knew was I never wanted the fun times to end and wanted to be liked amongst my peers. I quickly fell down the rabbit hole, not really realizing just how far I had fallen in this intoxicated state of mind. I thought I had control of my life. I thought that as long as I made an effort, I could get my life back. But before long, every aspect of my life had been affected by addiction.

The people I associated with had reputations. My family was no longer trusting of me and kept me at a distance. My relationship fell apart, and the boy I had been raising for five years had been ripped from my life. Everything I loved was destroyed. So, I gave into m**h, moved away – and tried to start over. But everywhere I went, my ghosts followed.

How could I forgive myself for letting my life be consumed by my addiction? Nothing but shame and failure. Wasted potential. And hurt. But I still have hope that maybe I can take this life of mistakes and do som**hing right. Maybe I can help someone close to you who is going through addiction. Maybe we can help someone before it gets to this. ’Cause addiction doesn’t just affect the user, but everyone around them is hurt too.

-Matt

03/31/2025

We love Sara Pepper!

🚨 STASH Sunday Alert! 🚨

Meet Pepper, one of our incredible STASH group members!

We’re giving a huge shoutout to Pepper for bravely sharing her story and for the strength and kindness she brings to our STASH community. Her journey is shared with permission, serving as a powerful reminder that resilience lives within us all. 💜

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My name is Sara Pepper. I used to consider myself a late bloomer, coming into what I thought was addiction later in life. But I realize now that there was always som**hing I did in excess. From hash in high school to bingo after I had my kids, and then to the “heavier” stuff in my late thirties to the present.

My decisions in life have often been influenced by whatever substance I was nurturing at the time, and I know this was the main cause of the difficulties I faced in finding and maintaining housing. It was extremely frustrating because I know I’m not a bad person, but due to people’s opinions toward drug addicts, I would never be approved for an apartment on my own.

I have an apartment now at Indwell, which I am grateful for. But I still feel society has a long way to go in how it views people who suffer from addictions. This is why I am a proud member of STASH (St. Thomas Addicts Sharing Hope) — finding strength through each other to show people that we are just as deserving as anyone else of the necessities of life. Housing, food, respect, and dignity are things we all deserve as human beings!

-Sara

03/10/2025

Ray! ❤️

🚨 STASH Sunday Alert! 🚨

Meet Ray, one of our dedicated STASH group leaders!

We cannot say enough about the changes we have seen in Ray over the past two years we’ve known him. He has completely turned things around and makes us proud every day. He is the “king” of STASH (inside joke) and is respectful, kind, funny, and an incredible father. He works hard, and we are so happy that he was “volun-told” to join us—and that he’s stuck with us ever since!

We love you, Ray!

A huge thank you to Ray for courageously sharing his story with us and for everything he does as part of the STASH community. This photo and story are shared with his permission, in a spirit of resilience and hope—to inspire others on their journey. 💜

~

I’m Ray. I am co-chair of the STASH group, Outreach Task Group Supervisor, and one of the group’s peer support workers.

I struggled with addiction at a young age, which led me to make poor life choices and eventually face multiple incarcerations—the longest being 28 months. I was doing better after this until I was failed by the system yet again.

At this point, I became homeless for a period of three years, during which I lived in a tent. It was a daily struggle to survive. I had a couple of close encounters with coyotes and constantly faced stereotypes because of my situation.

I am now housed and working to support my peers while helping to change the stigma around addiction and homelessness.

-Ray

03/02/2025

We love you Shawn!

🚨 STASH Sunday Alert! 🚨

Meet Fisher, one of our incredible STASH group members!

A huge thank you to Shawn for courageously sharing his story with us and for everything he does as part of the STASH community. This photo and story are shared with his permission, in a spirit of bravery and hope—to inspire others on their journey. 💜

~

Hello, my name is Shawn Fisher, and I’m a single father of two sons. I became homeless after leaving my ex-fiancée because we could no longer see eye to eye on many issues. One day, I told myself, enough is enough, and I came to St. Thomas to start a new life.

I stayed at the Inn Out of the Cold most days, while on other days, I slept on the front steps of the church where the shelter used to be. I’ve been through a lot in my life, but experiencing homelessness was new to me. I had no idea how hard it would be—both mentally and physically.

Along my journey, I’ve met many good people who have faced struggles similar to mine. It’s incredibly difficult when you lose your ID and belongings overnight, or when your possessions are stolen or thrown into a dumpster.

It has been a tough five-year journey—going through homelessness, being in and out of jail, and spending time in the hospital. But I have finally found a place I can call home. I know firsthand how difficult it is to be on the dark side of homelessness, how the public looks at you, and the stigma that comes with it. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone.

Now that I have a home, I want to help others find theirs. I am grateful for Amanda, Mike, and Hunter at the Reach Out group, as well as the Nameless and our STASH group, and all the staff at the Indwell facilities.

Thank you, and God bless.

-Shawn

02/23/2025

02/22/2025

02/04/2025

Stay safe. Stronger batches aren’t better if they kill you.

Fetty Alert 🚨

Coming from London.

“Through observations and anecdotal reports in Carepoint CTS, we are noting an increase in suspected fentanyl overdoses. There is not a consistent colour noted, nor is there anything outstanding about any substances tested.”

Please share.

If using:

- use with a buddy
- call NORS
- carry Naloxone (kits available at The Nameless)
- go slow (try a bit before using your full dose)

Stronger isn’t better if it takes your life!

Stay safe. We love you

01/24/2025

❤️❤️❤️