Kate’s unwavering love for her son and her yearning for a brighter future propelled her to The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope initiative, a transformative journey that completely changed her life. After dedicating three years to Pathway of Hope in Wiarton, Ont., Kate is determined to provide a better life for her six-year-old son, Desman, and to unearth her own potential.

With the support and guidance from her caseworker, Taia Anderson-McLeod, and the objectives set through Pathway of Hope, Kate now lives her life brimming with self-assurance and an optimistic outlook for what lies ahead.

A Mother’s Goal

Before Pathway of Hope, Kate was trapped in a downward spiral of addiction, regularly misusing marijuana and alcohol. When Kate got pregnant in Grade 10, she dropped out of school. A post-partum depression diagnosis complicated her life further and she started using crystal meth. This led to her son, Desman, being placed in the care of Kate’s mother.

From September 2019 to May 2022, as Desman was staying with his grandmother, addiction had control over Kate’s life.

“At the time, I had a lot of hopeless feelings, being a drug addict and losing custody of my son,” Kate says. “Then I heard that Pathway of Hope could help with my goals, which was to get my son back.”

Secret to Success

Kate credits Taia and their close relationship over the last three years for keeping her on a path to reclaiming her life. With plans to get a real-estate broker licence online through Humber College, Kate has goals in place to create a stable environment.

“I want to give my son a better life, with a nice house, a car and lots of food all the time,” Kate smiles. “But I wouldn’t be here without Taia, and her honesty and her support in being absolutely real with me when I needed it.”

While their years working together were not always easy, Taia says Kate showed strength and resolve to set, maintain and succeed in achieving all of her goals. Kate graduated from Pathway of Hope last July, and Taia says theirs is a connection that will remain strong.

“It has been an absolute honour to witness the transformation that Kate has made,” Taia says. “She took every aspect of Pathway of Hope by the horns. She is an incredibly powerful young woman.

“I knew it was going to take a lot of soul-searching, self-reflection and hard determined work on her part. Kate’s own strength is the secret to her success.”

Ultimatum Accepted

Since starting Pathway of Hope, Kate has gained and maintained sobriety, received her high school diploma, completed job-readiness courses and has earned her parental rights back, securing full custody of her son. She lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Miracle Place, a subsidized housing building adjacent to The Salvation Army’s Wiarton Community Church.

“Without Taia and Pathway of Hope, I would not have the apartment, as the whole reason I got the two bedroom was because I was working toward getting my son back,” Kate says.

And through plenty of hard work, dedication and willingness to be a good mother to her son, Kate has maintained her sobriety since April 2021.

Kate’s connection to The Salvation Army continues as part of the Guide by Your Side program, which pairs mentees with mentors to walk with them through life, ensuring they maintain their set goals in the areas of work, family and education.

“I am glad I beat my addiction and got to be with my child again,” says Kate. “Those are things that not everyone in my position gets to come back from, especially when they are given the ultimatum—either do drugs or get your child back. Not everybody chooses their child, but I definitely did. And I chose my life.”

Chris McGregor is a content marketing specialist for The Salvation Army’s Ontario Division.