The meth crisis in Winnipeg has brought on a slew of negative news stories but a Winnipeg organization is changing those stories to ones of victory and hope.

Barkley Engel, CEO and founder of Turning Leaf explains the program as "a Manitoba based national company that provides treatment and crisis intervention to people that are hurting with mental illness.

"From a personal perspective I was raised in the church," says Engel, "so when it came down to designing something for the population that would work with the population that is struggling with meth I'm highly influenced by ... Jesus in the book of Mark. He is there to help sinners that's who needs the doctor they don't need judgment."

Engel said, "though we are not a faith-based organization we believe in unconditional acceptance and the fact that people can change."

The people Turning Leaf help are all people struggling with mental illness, like Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who turn to self-medication and become addicted to drugs and alcohol. 

"What comes with that often is significant addictions issues, as well as being in conflict with the law, homelessness, victimization, and trauma," explained Engel.

Simply put Turning Leaf works with "the most marginalized and vulnerable of the population." These are the people who will be "disproportionally involved in the criminal justice system," and untreated when it comes to drug addiction.

"Recovery from meth is very possible but it is seldom done alone"

Turning Leaf has made its mission to design programs that fit the needs of these people in society. With the meth crisis hitting Winnipeg they have also created a program to fit the needs of meth addicts.

People addicted to meth are "in a lot of pain, and have very chaotic lifestyles," so Turning Leaf has started a team to help provide unconditional support and love to people in meth addictions. 

The Harm Reduction Team is made up of a group of handpicked individuals well versed in dealing with people on drugs, addicted to drugs and people who have mental illnesses.

The group goes out into the streets of Winnipeg day and night to look out for the group of addicts they are currently helping to ensure that they are staying safe.

(Turning Leaf Services Inc.)

Sometimes this means providing clean and safe needles and educating addicts on safe use to avoid transmitting diseases, buying them a burger, and just talking or hearing about their plans and looking at the different choices they could make.

This program is all about connecting with people and encouraging healing.

One woman, in particular, has an incredible story of hope through this program. This woman has a long history of trauma and was in and out of foster homes, and has a significant mental health issue. She lives on the street and got into meth about a year ago and acquired HIV after using an infected needle.

Now she is on her way to healing, has received medical attention and is on track to becoming the daughter and sister her family needs her to be.

Unconditional love is the force that can change hearts and stories and this is exactly what Turning Leaf believes in and lives out.

Sometime when people experience this kind of unconditional love, "they are often overwhelmed by it they don't know what to do with it," and other times, "its as if you poured cool water on a burn . . . it is the soothing relief they have needed and deserved for a long long time."

Engel says "if you can't wrap your head around it try this on it means that no matter what you've done or what has been done to ou we will accept you no matter what and that is a powerful powerful thing to hear when you are in immense pain."

"Recovery from meth is very possible but it is seldom done alone," to anyone struggling with mental health or addiction Engle says, "I know it is hard, it is so hard but you are not by yourself in this."