Sunlight of the Spirit was founded on a simple belief — that every woman deserves a real chance at recovery. Not just a place to stay. A place to heal, rebuild, and begin again.
We are a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto, currently in our development phase and working toward opening the city’s first women-focused sober living house grounded in 12-step recovery and lived experience leadership.
OUR STORY
Sunlight of the Spirit began with a question Christie Gray couldn’t stop asking: why are there so few safe, supportive options for women in early recovery?
There is a real vulnerability of early recovery for women in Toronto in the gap between leaving treatment and being truly ready to face the world. That gap is where too many women fall.
She founded Sunlight of the Spirit to close it.
We are building a warm, structured, women-only, and led by people who understand recovery not just professionally, but personally.
WHY WOMEN-FOCUSED
Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. Women in addiction often carry experiences, including trauma, loss, shame, family separation, that require a specific kind of space to heal.
A women-only environment offers something that mixed settings often can’t: the freedom to be completely honest. To be vulnerable without performance. To heal without distraction.
That safety is not a luxury. For many women, it is the difference between staying and leaving.
OUR APPROACH
12-Step Foundation Our house is grounded in 12-step principles. We believe in the power of the program, community accountability, and spiritual growth as the backbone of lasting recovery.
Lived Experience Leadership The women who run Sunlight of the Spirit have been where our residents are. That is not incidental — it is intentional. Lived experience is our greatest qualification.
Whole-Person Programming Sobriety is the foundation, not the finish line. Our programming addresses the practical realities of rebuilding a life — financial literacy, nutrition, employment readiness, and community connection.
A Community, Not Just a House We are building something beyond four walls. Residents will be part of a community of women who show up for each other — during the hard days and the good ones.
OUR VISION
A Toronto where no woman in early recovery has to navigate the gap between treatment and independent living alone.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Christie Gray — Founder
Christie Gray is a Board Director at Renascent Foundation and a passionate advocate for women’s access to recovery support. She founded Sunlight of the Spirit out of personal conviction and professional experience, and is committed to building something that outlasts her involvement in it.
OUR STATUS
Sunlight of the Spirit is a registered incorporated charitable organization in Ontario. We are currently in our fundraising and development phase, working toward securing a property and opening our doors by end of 2027.
Sunlight of the Spirit 