The powerful story behind Next 2 New
Rylie Perry, Staff Writer
A single conversation can change a life.
It was a moment that only lasted 45 seconds, but it was pivotal for a man who had nearly given up on himself.
“People always told me if I kept up with my drinking, I was gonna end up in jail. So, when I ended up in jail, I felt I had proved them all right,” said recovering addict and co-founder of Next 2 New (N2N). “The prison psychologist walked over. He said, ‘I’m just trying to figure out what you’re doing here because as far as I can see, you don’t belong here.’ And I began to think… maybe I am more than this.”
That simple, yet powerful interaction planted the seed of possibility that is now N2N, a social enterprise that spreads education and awareness regarding addiction.
More than just a business, N2N is a lifeline for individuals trying to rebuild their lives after addiction—due to the sensitive nature of this story, some sources have requested to remain anonymous.
“Can you imagine all of the trauma and brokenness people have to walk through to get back to some form of happy ever after. Most don’t make it, that’s just reality,” said N2N co-founder.
Located on Edmonton Trail, they are a second-hand boutique that restores and resells furniture.
“We are here, and we are a lighthouse. If I feel anything for certain, I feel that we have been called to be that light,” said N2N co-founder. “And so, what’s the story there? Restore An Item, Restore A Life.”
Although they are not a triage centre, N2N has nonetheless been serving the community in all capacities. It is their belief that when you are called on, you serve in any way you can.
Take Gordon, for instance, a recovering addict and valued member of the N2N team.
“Gordon spent 15 years on the street, sleeping outside in tents all winter. That is hard for anybody to imagine. It’s hard for people to imagine him freezing his fingers and toes off. It is horrible out there. And now he works at our woodshop and he’s about 15 months clean,” said N2N co-founder.
Even with the support they provide, N2N stresses the personal work and time that goes into restoring your life after active addiction, as Gordon did.
“I want everybody that works and comes through our organization to understand that recovery is not free. You have to work for it, because it’s the only way that you’re going to get purpose in your life,” said N2N co-founder. “This is all about getting a hand up, not a handout, right?”
Above all, N2N is about education and awareness.
The social enterprise believes it is the younger generations that will enact meaningful change that addresses issues such as addiction at the root of the problem.
“Addiction crosses all boundaries. It doesn’t care what race or colour you are, it doesn’t care what language you speak, it doesn’t care what sex you are, and it doesn’t care how much money you have. Addiction takes everybody. So when it comes to addiction, there are no barriers, it is not prejudice,” said N2N co-founder.
They therefore aim to reach everyone within the community, creating an organization that not only targets the issue on a financial level, but also provides a welcoming environment that relates to the struggles endured by mothers, fathers, siblings, and spouses.
“If addiction can take root in a family, it’ll destroy the whole family. It can erode and destroy everything below and near it,” said N2N co-founder. “So when young people are looking for a purpose today, I say, what greater purpose could you have than to create awareness?”
At this stage, N2N is a for-profit organization that reinvests all money made into their cause. They are self supporting and refuse to take financial donations away from other organizations.
They will, however, accept donations of furniture or pieces that can be reworked by the talented staff at their woodshop, such as Gordon.
Although N2N was only founded two years ago by Hillary Hopkins and her husband, they have already opened a second location on Macleod Trail, which is a testament to the continuing support they have received from the community.
“Our biggest donors are people that we go out and meet in the community,” said Hillary’s husband, aka N2N co-founder.
Coupled with community support, they also work alongside other organizations, such as Teen Challenge, which offers in-residence rehabilitation programs across Canada.
They are further in the process of building a non-profit global society that will expand beyond Calgary to leave a lasting impact on communities around the world. They expect the project to take off within the next six months to a year.
While N2N values the big impacts they have made, it is the small successes that have been essential to continuing its mission.
Kendra Saydee, social media director for N2N, lost her mother to addiction. While she stumbled upon the store by chance, Saydee found a network of people who intimately understood her grief.
“When you love somebody in active addiction, you love the hope of them getting sober; the hope of them growing out of it and getting better,” said Saydee. “So when somebody dies in addiction, that hope has nowhere to go. It’s just there and it sits with you. When I found Next 2 New, I found a place for that hope to go.”
Motivated by the hope to turn grief into education, the N2N team values community, support, and understanding.
“All of the people that weren’t there to support my mom, the people that weren’t there to tell her that she was okay, and that she deserved something,” said Saydee. “I get to be that person now.”
