Born and raised on the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta, Alvin Mills is giving back to the Lethbridge community through his organization, the Kindness to Others Renewal and Healing Centre.
Having gone through hardships of his own, Mills and several volunteers prepared and handed out meals at Galt Gardens in the heart of downtown Lethbridge on Friday.
“At one time I walked in their shoes,” Mills explained. “I felt the feeling of struggle, the feeling of hunger.”
Each lunch bag included meat and cheese sandwiches, chips and water.
With enough to feed between 150 and 200 people, Mills says this isn’t the first time his organization has done this type of service — and he added that it won’t be the last.
“The more I help, the more I get out of it,” he said.
“Our mandate is to always support the at-risk and vulnerable.”
In addition to the sandwich runs, Mills says he is trying to work with local officials to grow his organization.
Two weeks ago, Mills also started an outreach service to transport those seeking addiction treatment from Lethbridge to the Bringing the Spirit Home Detox Centre in Standoff.
Mills and his nephew are using their own personal vehicles, but they are hopeful about garnering more supports through the city and other organizations to grow what he believes is a much-needed service.
“It’s been going well, but I do think we need more transportation help,” Mills said.
Since starting the service, Mills says they have transported around 30 individuals to the centre.
Melissa Manyfingers left the detox centre in Standoff on June 15, and will be celebrating one year clean on Oct. 9.
She said Mills outreach service offers hope to those struggling and encourages those in need to reach out and seek treatment as she did.
“I think it’s good to be doing that for the community now,” Manyfingers said.
Earlier this year, the province announced 75 new treatment beds would be coming to the Blood Tribe next year as part of $25 million in investments to addiction recovery communities across the province.