Like many non-profit organizations, the Karis Support Society grew out of a group of passionate people identifying a need in the community and doing something about it.

Today, Deborah Klassen, co-executive director, shares about this amazing organization and herself.

鈥淜aris began out of an gap in service and support for vulnerable women who were accessing the local shelters in 琉璃神社,鈥� explained Klassen. 鈥淭he group planned to support women by providing 24 hour staffed housing, classes, life skills and access to counselling. From one house the need grew as women stabilized, regained their health, set goals and had opportunity to be reunified with their children and families.

鈥淭oday, the Karis Society program has grown to offer a 37-bed program and offers support for individual women with no dependants living with them, as well as a specialized program for expectant and new mothers who have had experiences of substance misuse during their pregnancy.鈥�

Started in 2007, the vision continues to be to provide sober living support for women who have found themselves without housing, living in poverty or struggling to find support or stabilization in their life due to their chronic or life altering substance misuse. The hope is with the recovery-oriented system of care that Karis has developed, each woman receives connections to the supports she seeks in the community with health care providers, counselling, financial stability, life skills, job readiness and/or education, and that after six to 18 months each woman will grow in self acceptance, inner strength and personal stability and transition back into the greater community.

鈥淜aris is Greek for grace. In the form of a noun, grace means mercy, pardon, or reprieve,鈥� said Klassen.

鈥淎ll of these words are held at the core of what Karis Society offers for support in recovery-oriented care.鈥�

Her passion for the organization and the work they do is very evident.

鈥淚 have had the joy of being on the Karis Society staff team for twelve years. I began as the volunteer coordinator in 2011 and in 2016 stepped into my role as co-executive director along with my colleague and staff peer at the time, Geri Pauls.

鈥淔rom first learning about Karis Society prior to being hired on as staff, I was impressed with the way in which its inception was so organic. A need was identified by individuals supporting women in the social sector and as they learned of the need, they imagined the possibilities.

鈥淭hey listened to what the women in the shelters were seeking and the people created an organization that still today, focuses on personalized participant goals and seeks to walk alongside each woman and support her in her individual choices and vision for her recovery.

鈥淲alking life鈥檚 journey with women who work and live at Karis inspires me each day. I observe woman who enter the program broken, hopeless and empty and over time begin to discover their true self, accept and trust themselves and believe in their future. I think it鈥檚 the best job ever.鈥�

Klassen believes in the role volunteers play knowing they all contribute to the success Karis. From the standard volunteer positions on the board of directors to daily activities such as classes and programs, to the support for children on-site, events, fundraising activities, facility and admin support, Karis volunteers work in roles alongside the staff as well as individually to support the program participants and the organization.

鈥淜aris Society volunteers often comment on the growth of advocacy and awareness surrounding recovery-oriented support that they learn about,鈥� said Klassen.

鈥淭hey also experience connection, community and a sense of contribution to the larger community of social support in our community.

鈥淚 believe I have a stronger positive perspective because of the generosity observe in people who fill volunteer roles in our organization.

鈥淚 have hope in society because of them. These are individuals, families, teams of people who continue to look beyond themselves to give back to our communities. Whether a short-term volunteer role or a weekly commitment over many years.

鈥淚鈥檓 inspired by each person who chooses to implement volunteerism into their values to give back to others. Our communities are stronger because of the generosity of these citizens.鈥�

To learn more check out the Volunteer Connector or Karis website at https://karis-society.org/. For more information go to www.kcr.ca.

Dorothee Birker is the communications & development manager for KCR Community Resources. Call 250-763-8008, ext. 254 or email dorothee@kcr.ca.