-For Immediate Release-

Vancouver, BC –December 2, 2024

In honour of December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has announced the recipients of the 2024/2025 Accessibility Projects Grants. These grants support year-long projects that promote better access to cultural, recreational, emergency planning, educational and community participation opportunities for people with disabilities across the province.

This year, the Provincial Government provided $450,000 to be distributed by Disability Alliance BC (DABC) to non-profits throughout British Columbia. Since 2018, DABC has distributed over $3 million to more than 90 non-profit organizations through funding from the Province.

“To help people live good lives and fully participate in their communities, we’re funding new accessibility projects,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “Through our partnership with DABC, accessibility projects are clearing the path, removing barriers and creating opportunities for people with disabilities. A more inclusive and accessible B.C. is possible when we work together.”

In late summer 2024, organizations were invited to apply for up to $40,000 for projects that will support lasting change for the more than 900,000 people (24.7% of the population over age 15)[1] in BC living with disabilities. After an extensive review process by representatives from the disability and community sectors, 14 projects were funded in total this year.

“This funding is so important for so many people. The heart-work and passion within every application is evident,” said Accessibility Projects Grants Review Committee member Lise Gillies, who identifies as a Cree/Métis neurodivergent mom to a neurodivergent daughter with complex support needs. “There is incredible thoughtfulness in these submissions by organizations who have identified huge needs, and design projects that are aligned to meet those needs through true inclusion, creativity, and innovation.”

Last year, 12 projects were funded including Kettle Society’s Art Against Stigma project. Kettle Society, located in Vancouver, empowers people living with mental illness, substance use, poverty and/or homelessness by providing housing, employment, community services and enrichment programs. Its art-based programs paused at the beginning of the pandemic, and they applied for an Accessibility Projects Grant to pilot their relaunching. Art Against Stigma’s purpose was to help individuals who are living with mental health diagnoses rediscover their voices through artistic expression. Programs included group art therapy, creative writing, choir practice, art scholarships and public performances.

“I was nervous to participate, I didn’t think I had a creative bone,” said one of Art Against Stigma’s participants. “Turns out I do and spending time making art is healing for me.”

DABC is proud to work with the Province of B.C. to remove barriers and celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities to their communities. The Accessibility Projects Grants are an important step in this direction.

A backgrounder can be found below with the list of the 2024/25 grant recipients.

Media Contact:
Helaine Boyd
Executive Director
helaine@dabc.ca

Learn More:

To learn more about Disability Alliance BC: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/

To get up to date about Government’s work on accessibility: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/accessibility/news

To give feedback on barriers people with disabilities face when accessing government services: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/accessibility/feedback

Backgrounder:

DABC invited eligible organizations to apply for funding for projects that will take place in 2025. The list of grant recipients was announced today:

• Sunshine Coast Community Services Society – Sunshine Coast: $29,311.96 for the Accessible Emergency Response for All Project. Empowering people with mental health disabilities to have equitable access to emergency response planning.
• Pride in Art Society – Vancouver: $35,950.32 for the ASL Interpretation and Translation of Exhibits and Community Programs Project. Increasing the accessibility of Queer Arts Festival programming for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• BC Wheelchair Sports Association – Richmond and Victoria: $8,700 for the Junior WC Rugby Program Expansion Project. Expanding the junior wheelchair rugby program.
• Opportunities Career and Legal Advocacy Services Society – Campbell River, Port McNeil and Port Hardy: $37,248 for the Regional Disability Benefits Navigator Pilot Project. Fostering financial empowerment and equitable access to benefits for individuals with disabilities within the North Vancouver Island region.
• Mayday Club Youth Choir for Autism Advocacy Society – Abbotsford: $23,158.90 for the Radio Broadcasting, Voice Acting, Sound Engineering Project. Supporting neurodivergent and disabled youth in the Fraser Valley area to learn sound engineering, voice acting, and radio broadcasting.
• Periods For All – Vancouver: $38,500 for the Menstrual Matters: Understanding Menstrual Health in ASL Project. Providing accessible and informative content on menstrual health using ASL.
• Employ to Empower Foundation – Vancouver: $40,000 for the Leave No Entrepreneur Behind: Empowering Low-Income Entrepreneurs with Disability Project. Supporting low-income entrepreneurs who live with disabilities to progress their business.
• Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society – Salt Spring Island: $25,545 for the (ART) Art and Recreation Together Project. Providing a dynamic and inclusive activity-based program for developmentally disabled children and adults, focusing on expressive arts, sports and celebration.
• Prince George Sexual Assault Centre Society – Prince George/Northern BC: $40,000 for the Together We Can Project. Providing a peer-led all-gender support group for survivors of gender-based and sexual abuse/violence.
• Women Transforming Cities International Society – Provincial: $16,280 for the Civic education workshops for accessible participation in local government Project. Providing civic education workshops to demystify local government processes so that folks with disabilities can shape their hometowns into inclusive communities where they feel a strong sense of belonging.
• VIDEA – Provincial: $40,000 for the Leaders of Today Project. Enhancing the leadership capacity of youth and young adults ages 16-35 with disabilities across BC.
• Mental Health Recovery Partners Society – South Vancouver Island: $40,000 for the Training by and for Lived Experts Project. Offering accessible Peer Support Training and upskilling for current or aspiring peer supporters.
• Crimson Coast Dance Society – Nanaimo: $40,000 for the Mixed Abilities: DanceAble Project. Providing accessible dance and creative movement programming for people with disabilities and collaborating in presenting a group performance at a public theatre.
• OneAbility Foundation- Provincial: $40,000 for the OneAbility Games (OAG) Community Project Resource Kit Project. Co-creating an open-source program resource kit that participants can access leading up to the inaugural OneAbility Games in May 2026.

To learn more please visit: Accessibility Projects Grants | DABC (disabilityalliancebc.org).

Download this press release here.

[1]https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310037401&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.13

Save the date! Dec 3rd this year is both International Day for Persons with Disabilities, AND Giving Tuesday – the biggest day of the year for charitable giving. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to donate to DABC, this moment of global generosity is a great opportunity to be a part of big impact.

Last year on Giving Tuesday, Canadians donated $50 million through 10,000 charities in 24 hours! Thanks to your support, DABC raised $3,825 from 24 donors including members, volunteers, staff, friends and allies. This year, will you join us with a contribution towards our 2024 goal of $5,000?

Whether you choose to give to our new Disability Tax Credit Medical Fees Fund, or our General Fund for most urgent needs, every dollar helps and is greatly appreciated! Click the following link to join us in making this Dec. 3 the best yet for people with disabilities: https://give-can.keela.co/dabc.

DABC has recently updated our Mission, Vision and Values to better reflect and and make clear who we are as an organization:

Vision Statement

Our vision is for people, with all disabilities, to live with dignity, independence, and as equal and full participants in the community. We envision a future where people with disabilities are recognized for their inherent worth as individuals, and as valued members of society.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to promote a more inclusive and equitable society for people with all disabilities through direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications.

Values

The below values capture the fundamental principles and beliefs that guide our organization. We have selected values which reflect our dedication to upholding equity, inclusion and diversity within our organization, and in our interactions with our clients and the larger community.

• Accountability

The perspectives of people with disabilities is central to our work. We honour each person’s individual experience with disability and respect their right to have their voice heard.

As we progress and learn as an organization, we will strive to hold ourselves accountable to our clients, funders, and community at large for our behavior, governance, and quality of services that DABC provides.

• Mutual Support

When one person in the community experiences oppression, it impacts the entire community. Recognizing that we live in an ableist society which places emphasis on individualism we believe that fostering a culture of mutual support and interdependence will make us and our community stronger as a whole.

We acknowledge that mutual support is not always a balanced relationship —some individuals may shoulder more responsibility for providing support or education based on their lived experiences. Our goal is to cultivate a culture of mutual support that minimizes these imbalances wherever possible.

• Reconciliation

DABC recognizes that the oppression of Indigenous Peoples in Canada is deeply rooted in colonialism and persists today in many different forms. Routinely, this oppression expresses itself as violence against Indigenous Peoples, the violation of traditional lands, and systemic oppression involving various institutions.

We recognize the rich diversity of thought, ways of being and knowing, among Indigenous Peoples and Nations. We are committed to regular and constant unlearning of the colonizer mindset by actively engaging with and listening to Indigenous communities in our work and partnerships. We recognize that our efforts to decolonize our work should not impose the burden of education on Indigenous communities, but rather we must take the initiative to approach this process with respect and solidarity.

• Accessibility

Accessibility includes removing physical, environmental, sensory, communication and attitudinal barriers to the full participation of people with disabilities in society. We are dedicated to ensuring that DABC is an accessible, accommodating, flexible and supportive environment for its board, staff, volunteers, visitors, and clients with a diversity of disabilities and needs.

We operate on the principle of “Nothing About Us, Without Us.” It is vital that people with lived experience with disability are central participants in all decision-making processes.

It is of utmost importance to us that we treat our clients with respect and empathy. We strive to “meet them where they are at,” recognizing that their intersecting identities will inform their needs.

• Intersectionality

We acknowledge that identities are intersectional and do not exist in silos. Many people with disabilities are also members of other equity-seeking groups, including, but not limited to, IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, People of Colour), women, 2SLGBTQIA+, unhoused, and/or sex workers. We  understand that these individuals may face unique and compounded barriers and forms of oppression due to various aspects of their identities. We stand in solidarity with all equity-seeking groups and are committed to working collaboratively to dismantle these barriers so that everyone has the chance to succeed and have their voices heard. True equity, not just equality, is the goal.