Our full name is Family Outreach Ontario Christian Addiction Support Services (FOOCASS) but we usually just refer to ourselves as Family Outreach Ontario or simply Family Outreach. We are a faith-based, inter-denominational, not-for-profit organization. Trusting in God we have provided a response to the very real problem of alcohol and drug addiction, having a special interest within the Christian community.
Family Outreach was started up in Hamilton in 1986 through the efforts of Dr. Alex De Jong and Dr. Richard Grevengoed both living in Chicago and both ministers in the CRC. Dr. De Jong overcame his own personal struggle and became a well known speaker and author about alcoholism. As a senior addictions counselor Dr. Grevengoed wrote the manual used for training Family Outreach workers. Initially Family Outreach Ontario was a CRC ministry initiative with an outreach to other CRCs in Ontario. Both had numerous speaking engagements in many CRCs in Ontario in the 1990s. Later this was extended to other Reformed denominations. In 2008 Family Outreach Ontario became incorporated and therefore completely independent of any single church or denomination. Today, our mandate is to reach out anywhere God takes us having a special focus within the Christian community. At the same time, however, we are but a small organization and we remain entirely dependent on churches, individuals, and businesses for prayer, and financial support.
Family Outreach is made up of volunteers who are sensitive to the dynamics of addictions because either they or someone they loved dearly suffered with alcoholism or drug addiction. These volunteers have a first-hand understanding of the physical manifestations of substance abuse, the destructive and even deadly consequences of it, and, most importantly, how God’s grace can provide healing when all else seems hopeless. This life experience alone qualifies them as being perfectly suitable to walk alongside those who are currently working through or otherwise struggling with these same issues. And all of this is scriptural as the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.