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.