Community Visionaries: Armor of Light Recovery Society in Wainwright

Addiction often leaves individuals feeling isolated and defeated. Relationships fracture, shadows of doubt overcome dreams, and the outside world feels increasingly distant and unforgiving. Shame and stigma associated with addiction build walls around those suffering, making it harder and harder to envision life beyond the darkness. 

But within this struggle lies the potential for profound change, where all one needs is a beacon of hope shining bright enough to see through the dark. And in Wainwright, the Armor of Light Recovery Society is just that.

The society was founded in August 2023 by Hailey Jones, a Wainwright community member who had experienced firsthand the struggles of addiction and the long and hard path to recovery. “I fell into addiction myself when I was in junior high,” she says. “That was the path my life was on for quite some time.”

That path was fraught with challenges where addiction was dictating the course of her life, even as she entered motherhood. At one point, children’s services became involved. “That was the breaking point and what started to change our lives.”

“I knew I had to do my part to make a change so others who were struggling in the same way we had wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed and burdened with the decisions.”

But the road to recovery wasn’t as simple as one might think. Hailey and her husband were soon faced with many barriers to accessing recovery support. “There was nothing out there that acted as a central hub for people looking for help,” she says. “I knew I had to do my part to make a change so others who were struggling in the same way we had wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed and burdened with the decisions.”

That’s when Hailey set out to make a difference. She began by earning a diploma in addiction and community health, followed by studies in criminology. With this solid foundation, she took the next step and opened the Armor of Light Recovery Society. Initially focused on providing pre- and post-treatment sober living, the organization quickly adapted to meet the community's pressing needs.

In January 2023, Hailey and the Armor of Light team decided to open an emergency shelter to house those who needed a place to sleep during a particularly harsh cold snap. “In just 12 hours, we had the emergency shelter up and running,” says Hailey. “We had over 40 volunteers who allowed us to run the shelter 24/7 for over three months.”

This show of community support and solidarity inspired Hailey to dig deeper. She started collaborating with other community organizations, such as Wainwright’s Family and Community Support Services, Family Resource Network and the Primary Care Network, to turn the shelter into a hub for various recovery resources. They now run programs such as resume clinics, supervised family visitations and more. They also developed the one-of-a-kind Healing Hearts program, a 15-week course aimed at helping perpetrators of domestic violence learn the tools to change their behaviour.

The impact of the organization and its collaborative programming is consistently seen in the lives it has touched. “We have one client who came to us while living in the shelter who is 65 years old and hasn’t been sober since he was 13,” says Hailey. “And now he provides testimonies at schools affected by gang violence, lives in a sober-living facility in Lethbridge and has rekindled his relationship with his family.”

Hailey hopes to see more success stories as the organization grows and continues to serve the genuine needs of the community — and her vision extends beyond immediate recovery needs. In the fall of 2024, with the help of a $10,000 Vision Credit Union Helping Hand Grant, Armor of Light plans to open an in-patient facility that will offer comprehensive services to men, women and youth needing recovery support. 

“It’s a space where people will come together to communicate and offers time to just enjoy being and not have to focus on everything else going on in that moment.”

The largest installment in this facility will be the kitchen, which will not only provide meals for residents but also serve as a place where they can learn teamwork, build routines, and foster a sense of community. “It’s a space where people will come together to communicate and offers time to just enjoy being and not have to focus on everything else going on in that moment.”

The journey of the Armor of Light Recovery Society is a powerful story of transformation and community solidarity. Once touched by addiction, Hailey has become a pillar of strength for many. Her story, intertwined with the support of Wainwright, illustrates the incredible things that can happen when a community comes together to support its most vulnerable members.

As Armor of Light continues to grow, it remains a beacon of hope, embodying the belief that anyone can overcome their struggles and find a path to a brighter future with the right support.

To learn more about Armor of Light Recovery Society and their current programs, visit their website.