LE HAWKESBURY SOCIAL, LOOKING WITHIN, HOSTED BY ADAM STACEY Empower 2 Recover Foundation, Hosted By Adam Stacey & Co-Hosted By Jay Barnard, Executive Director/Founder
Feb 14, 2026
Jay Barnard, founder and Executive Director of Empower2Recover and a lived-experience recovery advocate. He describes the movement’s origin, diverse recovery paths, and trauma’s role in addiction. Conversations cover community events in Cornwall, harm reduction and Narcan access, a national recovery directory, program details like HYPE, and plans for a Canada-wide tour and flag raisings.
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Interrupted Suicide Plan Saved By Stranger
- In 2023 Jay planned to hang himself at a fish plant but someone unexpectedly interrupted him.
- He interprets the interruption as a life-saving sign that he wasn't done yet.
Building A Single Recovery Directory
- Empower2Recover is building a Global Recovery Community (GRC) to map local services.
- The GRC aims to be a single directory where people can find programs by city and category.
System Has Good People But Is Broken
- The system has capable people but is structurally broken and hard to navigate.
- Jay frames Empower2Recover as an assist to make help accessible, not replace the system.