Agency for women suffering abuse, addictions opens fourth location in Thunder Bay, Ont.

A local healing agency that strives to support families and women experiencing abuse is celebrating the opening of their fourth location in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Thursday.

Beendigen Anishinabe Women's Crisis Home & Family Healing Agency is an organization that provides help to women who are facing domestic abuse or suffering from alcohol and drug addictions.

• New Beendigen program supports Indigenous women who've experienced violence

The new Beendigenoffice openedat the Victoriaville Mall to provide more assistance and services like a walk-in counsellingprogram.

"Walk-in counselling will be on a daily basis, Monday to Friday," said Debra Vermette, the executive director at Beendigen.

"Where we were at the other site, that wasn't available and there are a lot of clients that need that help right away, so they are able to come in and not have to make an appointment."

She said a new anti-human trafficking program prompted the organization to open a new location and expand their counselling services.

With eight staff members on site, Vermettesaid the new locationwill provide individual and group counselling, grief healing circles, crafting groups and drop-in counselling sessions for clients and their families to attend.

"As we all know the Indigenous population is migrating to Thunder Bay," Vermetteexplained, "and with it comes a lot of the issues that have come from colonization and residential schools,so there is a need for healing."

She said organizations like Beendigen will not only help women live their 'life free of violence' but it also helps them 'integrate back into the community."

Reaching for help

Elder Edna Wigwas from Gull Bay First Nation has been involved with Beendigen'for quite a number of years,'as she was a staff member at the agency in 1984.

As a single parent and trained addictions counsellor, Wigwasalso battled her own alcohol addiction until she decided to reach out for help herself.

"I think when I got treated for alcoholism back in 1979 my children were also treated," Wigwas said, "and I had removed them from that community due to the community pattern; there was a lot of drinking and gas-sniffing at that time."

She said moving to Thunder Bay has helped her recovery as she received assistance for herself and her children.

"The best thing I've ever done is to totally remove [my children] from that community and have them go to school here in town for the better and tomaintain my sobrietyso I can have my meetings," Wigwas said.

She encourages other women to reach out for help as organizations and services are in place to step in, but it's up to the individual to want it.

"I would strongly encourage [women] to come here and reach out that hand of help that they are looking for," Wigwas said, "there's all kinds of help out there but you know what, you have to go out there and get it.It's not going to come to you if you don't make an effort."