About
About Merv Helle
Hi my name is Merv Helle, I was born in the town of Peace River Alberta. We didn’t have a home so I was raised on a trap line until my older sister had to start school, at the age of four. I had started being molested and raped back then people didn’t realize the signs. I suffered my first concussion at the age of four . My dad would get drunk and hit me, smashing my head off the floor.
Life wasn’t easy for a young boy like me in those days, and it set me on a destructive path of drinking and skipping school. By the time I reached the age of 7, I had become a full-fledged alcoholic, and sadly, no one seemed to notice. I turned to both alcohol and drugs, using them as an escape from life’s challenges. This continued until I turned 53 years old.
Hi my name is Merv Helle, I was born in the town of Peace River Alberta. We didn’t have a home so I was raised on a trap line until my older sister had to start school, at the age of four. I had started being molested and raped back then people didn’t realize the signs. I suffered my first concussion at the age of four . My dad would get drunk and hit me, smashing my head off the floor.
Life wasn’t easy for a young boy like me in those days, and it set me on a destructive path of drinking and skipping school. By the time I reached the age of 7, I had become a full-fledged alcoholic, and sadly, no one seemed to notice. I turned to both alcohol and drugs, using them as an escape from life’s challenges. This continued until I turned 53 years old.
Then, at the age of 53, something remarkable happened. I made the decision to stop drinking and forgave myself.
It was a remarkable transformation because there were no treatment centers or Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) involved. However, even though I was sober, I found myself without a stable place to live. The people trying to assist me found rooms in other people’s homes, but this arrangement didn’t work out because it meant living with someone else’s stress.
I’ve learned over the course of 60 years (7 years sober) that when someone gives themselves a second chance, having a home of your own is crucial when trying to get on the right track and stay there. I myself have experienced periods of homelessness throughout my life, and it’s almost ironic how people often take advantage of you when you’re down. So, I pondered how I could change this, and I decided to start my own nonprofit charity. I enlisted the help of a team of lawyers to establish this nonprofit charity.
We’ve come up with the “Cup of Coffee Challenge.” If you truly want to see real change without relying on loans, grants, or government support, we have the opportunity to purchase six acres near Taghum Beach. This land already has some infrastructure in place, as it used to be a trailer park. With the goal of raising 5 million dollars, I believe we can create 20 homes, including 6 to 8 recovery homes, some for elders and people with disabilities, as well as family homes, regardless of how many children there are. Our community will be pet-friendly and cater to both non-smokers and smokers. Our homes will strictly enforce a drug and alcohol-free policy, and the rent will never exceed the government’s allowable limit because we won’t have a mortgage. Each home will have at least 20 feet of space on either side. Our board will consist of no more than three people.
It was a remarkable transformation because there were no treatment centers or Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) involved. However, even though I was sober, I found myself without a stable place to live. The people trying to assist me found rooms in other people’s homes, but this arrangement didn’t work out because it meant living with someone else’s stress.
I’ve learned over the course of 60 years (7 years sober) that when someone gives themselves a second chance, having a home of your own is crucial when trying to get on the right track and stay there. I myself have experienced periods of homelessness throughout my life, and it’s almost ironic how people often take advantage of you when you’re down. So, I pondered how I could change this, and I decided to start my own nonprofit charity. I enlisted the help of a team of lawyers to establish this nonprofit charity.
We’ve come up with the “Cup of Coffee Challenge.” If you truly want to see real change without relying on loans, grants, or government support, we have the opportunity to purchase six acres near Taghum Beach. This land already has some infrastructure in place, as it used to be a trailer park. With the goal of raising 5 million dollars, I believe we can create 20 homes, including 6 to 8 recovery homes, some for elders and people with disabilities, as well as family homes, regardless of how many children there are. Our community will be pet-friendly and cater to both non-smokers and smokers. Our homes will strictly enforce a drug and alcohol-free policy, and the rent will never exceed the government’s allowable limit because we won’t have a mortgage. Each home will have at least 20 feet of space on either side. Our board will consist of no more than three people.