Searching for Support Groups

Support by phone or email for parents/caregivers of children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

• Provide support to anyone affected by a relative or friend's drinking
• 12 step program
• Member of Al-Anon/Alateen Organization, District 1 - Muskoka Region
• Meetings held at various locations
• Locations listed on the website

Alateen is a fellowship of young people whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking

• sponsored by Al-Anon members
• part of Al-Anon/Alateen organization

Community services for people with ALS and their families and friends

• holds local fundraising events for ALS
• annual Barrie Walk for ALS is held second Saturday in June , see website for details and registration information

Provides an opportunity for partially sighted people or those with sight loss or blindness to meet with others in the community who are living with similar experience.

Community of people dedicated to bringing hope and building connections between people in downtown Barrie

• work to empower people to overcome chronic poverty by addressing homelessness, food insecurity, and addiction
• Hope Centre is a meeting and gathering place and the base of operations for programmes and services, including a food pantry and community programmes
• host weekly worship Sunday evenings at 7pm
• Groups offered include:
  • Addiction Recovery
  • Mental Health Support
  • Bible Studies
  • Women of Hope group
  • Men of Hope group
• Support Services include:
  • Counselling
  • Mentoring
  • Life Skills
  • Meal Programs including Grocery assistance for anyone facing food insecurity
    • Free Food Fridays provides non-perishables and fresh produce, and often even meat and cheese and dairy
  • Basic Needs
  • Referrals

Support Group is currently being held virtually

• Provides peer support, training, and information workshops
• promotes family centered care and principles
• chapter acts as a conduit for parents to find out where they can get help in the community and help with disability tax credit forms
• provides a resource library and telephone support
• monthly meetings may provide guest speakers

Offers support, education, public awareness and an opportunity to meet others who have Lupus

• runs an online support group of Lupus Ontario
• holds Walk for Lupus as an annual fundraising, call for details

Support organization for parents whose child or teen has been diagnosed with cancer

• provide parents with knowledge of library and other community resources, a quarterly newsletter, social events for the whole family and networking with other organizations
• provide telephone and email support, hospital and home visits and monthly parent support group meetings
• during support group meetings for parents an expressive art program is available for children
• offers school support program/school advisory services
• monthly teen social group
• offers weekly art therapy program
• bereavement support
• Emergency parent relief fund (gift cards) available to families who are struggling financially
• provides family care packages at diagnosis with gift cards and parking passes for Hospital for Sick Children
• provides Christmas baskets for families whose child is on active treatment

Christmas Care Program
Care packages for families affected by cancer and dealing with cancer treatments during the holidays

• donations of baked goods, homemade or store bought, toys, grocery store gift cards, movie passes etc are accepted
• see Facebook page for more details and drop-off locations, Christmas Care Program

Sick kids parking passes program: provides a limited number of passes for parking at Sick Kids to families whose children are currently on treatment

COVID-19 Update
Young Adult Day Program not currently being held, check website for updates

Regular Service
Provides support and information to families with a Down syndrome member and assists families to access needed services families in need.

• hold events and parties such as summer picnic, bowling party, Wee Ups and Downs play dates
• services include a library and bursaries
• hold fundraising events
• subsidized programs for various ages including speech, music, dance, yoga and sign language
• offer a Young Adults Day Program for those 21 and over who have Down syndrome

A fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from their addiction.

Meetings held online and in person, check website for details.

OPACC is comprised of representatives from parent groups, parents, guardians, survivors, or close relatives of a child or teen diagnosed with childhood cancer in Ontario

• OPACC's goal is to be the parent voice for families with children diagnosed with cancer across the Province of Ontario
• supports the establishment of new community-based parent support groups throughout the Province and the strengthening of existing groups
• advocates for issues of importance to childhood cancer families
• offering in-person and virtual support services, for more information see website
• Parent Liaison program offers trained parent facilitators, and parents of a child who has had cancer, that meet with parents and families and help to address fears or concerns that they may have (non-medical advice)
  • offered at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga
  • run weekly drop-in support groups, provide informational materials and resources, and distribute free items
  • offer financial assistance such as hospital parking program and distribution of gift cards for gas and groceries to registered childhood cancer families
  • distribute meal vouchers for families at Hospital for Sick Children

Free seven-week mental wellness program delivered online

• uses Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) and minfulness techniques to help people ages 13-30 to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety
• gives young people the chance to connect with others who are experiencing similar thoughts and feelings
• group is led by trained mental health professionals in a safe supportive environment
• joint program through a partnership with Catholic Family Services of Simcoe County

Organizes and runs recreational programs for the City of Barrie, including general interest, fitness and aquatic programs for all ages, as well as summer and school break day camps for children and programs on school professional activity days and holidays

• Child and Youth Recreation Programs and Day Camps
  
• Seniors Recreation Programs and 55+ Centres
  • for a current listing of activities at the 55+ Centres see monthly newsletter and monthly events calendar
    
• Inclusive Recreation - programs offer opportunities for participants experiencing disability through both adapted and integrated program options
  
• Barrie recPASS - Membership offers unlimited access to drop-in programs for yourself and your families
  
• RecACCESS - fee assistance program that provides support to low-income families and individuals in Barrie by providing qualifying participants with a RecPASS membership and youth credits that can be applied to the registration fee for qualifying programs and activities
  
• Re-loadable rec gift cards are available Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, East Bayfield Community Centre, Allandale Recreation Centre, Parkview Centre and City Hall, 8th floor
  
• Recreation Program Cancellations - provides up-to-date information about closures or cancellations affecting Recreation Programs
  

Recreation Programs may have youth and adult volunteer opportunities

• Earn school hours, community service hours, to iinquire email rec.volunteers@barrie.ca

COVID-19 Response

• Centre is closed to in-person services
• in-person support groups are suspended until further notice
• Bereavement groups are currently being held virtually
• September groups will either be in-person with physical distancing measures in place or virtual
• for information about online programs and other services contact Joan Kennedy at 705-721-5437 ext 202 or by email, joan@grievingchildren.com
• for other inquiries, resources or support please contact Program Staff:
  • Natasha Manzone: natasha@grievingchildren.com, 705-721-5437 ext 200
  • Joan Kennedy: joan@grievingchildren.com, 705-721-5437ext 202

Regular Service
Peer-to-peer support programs in a safe home-like atmosphere for children, teens, young adults and their families grieving the death or life-threatening illness of a loved one, programs include:

• overdose-specific therapy sessions
• school program that includes classroom support, teacher support, and consultations
• community outreach opportunities include practicums for students requiring post secondary school placements to fulfill their academic curriculum requirements
• Camp Skein: A camp for children ages 7-16 yrs grieving the death of a parent or sibling, 5 Nights/6 Days

Outreach Presentations
Presentations done by request include sorting through feelings, coping strategies, skills/resource development, and how to offer peer support

In-person program is temporarily on pause, all youth programming is running on the Discord Server

• Discord server has been created as an e-drop-in social space facilitating youth to connect with each other
• Contact Jason for a server link at 249-535-0585

Regular Service
Drop-in and social space for Queer, Trans, Intersex, Questioning and Non-Binary youth to connect with each other and build community

• get together in a relaxed social space and access resources and support on topics and issues that relate to sexual and romantic connections, and gender
• past events have included social discussions, picnics, art workshops, cooking classes, field trips, movie nights, educational presentations and guest speakers
• Groups take place in Barrie, Orillia, Midland, Bradford, and Stayner

Discreet weekly meetings for trans men, trans women, non-binary, gender variant folk and people who are questioning, as well as their loved ones, to hang out and hear about people's lived experience including: Binding, Testosterone and Estrogen, Resources, Transition information, Coming Out, Relationships, Health Care, Sexual Health.

Online and in-person safe social space for youth 20 to 29 yrs old

• Group provides opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, pan-sexual, intersexual and transgender, queer/questioning, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and 2-spirit adults to get together in a relaxed social space and to access resources and support
• Online hosted on invite-only Discord server

Support group for family members, caregivers and friends of persons with mental health and/or addictions challenges, including substance dependence

• connect with other family caregivers to share experiences and receive support needed to cope and manage
• Support group is held virtually on the second Tue and third Mon of the month at 6 pm-8 pm via Zoom, maximum 19 participants

If you require immediate mental health assistance, please call:

• Mental Health Crisis Line (Mon-Sun 24 hours): 705-728-5044 or 1-888-893-8333
• Telecare: 705-726-7922
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 to chat

COVID-19 Update
Group is meeting by Zoom on Tue 7 pm, see website for details

Regular Service
Twelve-Step program where individuals share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from their eating disorders

COVID-19 Response

• Meetings are not being held as meeting location is not available
• check website or call contacts for updates

Regular Service
12 Step support group for persons who have problems related to gambling and have a desire to stop

COVID-19 Response
Meeting location not available for in-person meetings, check website for updates and a full list of virtual meeting options

Regular Service
Self help support group program for spouse, family or close friends of compulsive gamblers

Volunteer-led group promoting suicide awareness, prevention, support and education

• provides a culture of hope and support through community events and initiatives in Simcoe County, Ontario and surrounding areas
• organizes annual Walk of Hope and Life Promotion community event in downtown Barrie, usually in May, see website for more information, registration and fundraising pledge forms
• World Suicide Prevention Day community event held each year on September 10th
• International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day community event held annually on the third Sat in November
• Survivors of Suicide Loss Peer Support Group, online 10-week program held twice a year, see Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Program Flyer and website for details
• Note: Group does not provide Crisis Services

National, non profit peer to peer support program to help children, youth and adults process grief related to divorce, death and other family loss. Five distinct groups within the program:

• In-person and virtual sessions available
• SunBeams for preschool children
• Rainbows for children in kindergarten through grade eight
• Spectrum for youth in secondary school
• Kaleidoscope for single adults and college age, 18 and over
• Prism is for single parents and step parents seeking to rebuild the family unit
• Silver Linings is a Community Crisis Response Program

Participants take part in peer support groups led by trained facilitators

• each curriculum consists of 14 weekly sessions
• groups meet at schools, churches, synagogues and other family/community locations
• most sites are sponsored by local civic or religious organizations as well as Simcoe County District School Board

For more information about becoming a Registered Rainbows site, call office for more information

Outreach Presentations
Presentations include positive coping strategies, building self-esteem, and sorting through the pain