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Thanks to you our winter fundraising campaign smashed through our goal of $10,000. Together we raised an amazing $11,651 and we had our matching donation too of $10,000. What a great end to 2021!
Your donations will help us to match 100 Allies and Friends and support our mission to empower people with disabilities to build lives of meaning and joy.
Through the Matching Program, we see a profound difference in the lives of people living with a disability. The benefits for those who are matched with an Ally include: reduced loneliness and isolation, decreased vulnerability and increased self-confidence. This has been especially beneficial during the pandemic. Matches have continued to meet virtually or in a safe way and have benefited greatly from these relationships and networks.
Thank you.
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Faces of ABLE2
Shantel joined ABLE2 as she was looking to have someone help her reach her personal goals, like becoming more comfortable talking with people and getting out more into the community. Tania was looking to give back to the community and help others in a practical way that can make a difference in someone’s life. In January 2018, they were introduced through ABLE2’s Match Program.
When Tania and Shantel get together, they enjoy doing activities like mini putt, bowling, games at Funhaven, walks, or baking. They have become friends and enjoy having conversations about life, love, family and goals. Shantel and Tania both agree that trying different foods is probably the best activity they do together. Being foodies, they enjoy good food! Among their favourite is treating themselves to dumplings and bubble tea!
Through being involved, Shantel and Tania have both seen and experienced the impacts. For Shantel, it allowed her to get out more, become more independent, and practise different social skills. Tania gets to see Shantel’s progress over the years as she works towards her goals, while at the same time gets inspired by Shantel’s positivity and outlook on life.
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ABLE2 can help build a safe, fulfilling and purposeful life for a person with a diability
Join ABLE2 on Tuesday, February 4 at 6:00 pm to learn more about ABLE2's Build Community program.
Build Community is a collaborative family-driven model that includes the person with a disability and their family members as part of the solution process. The goal of this process is to create a safe, fulfilling and purposeful life for the individual with a disability, where they can be active members of their community and share their gifts with others.
“When Jonathan first joined Build Community, he was already quite actively engaged in many programs and activities in the community. However, due to his limited communication and interests, he struggled to connect with others and the family did not have an established support network or plan in place for Jonathan’s future. Little did we know, as we began to reach out to Jonathan’s family, support workers, and others in his immediate and extended community, that Jonathan’s network would quickly form and grow to more than 10 people! We realized that by simply extending an invitation, many people in Jonathan’s life were eager to jump in and get involved in his support network and care. Now, after over three years in the program, the network continues to meet regularly and individual members have stepped in to support Jonathan and his family in various capacities such as providing respite care, participating in emergency planning, and facilitating vocational and life-skills activities to increase Jonathan’s independence at home and in the community.”
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Join the Goggins Challenge
The Goggins Challenge is an exciting new event that is coming to Ottawa this March. It is also an opportunity to raise money for ABLE2.
ABLE2 in partnership with Run Ottawa is offering this unique virtual event and there are a number of ways to participate.
The full Goggins Challenge is a 4X4X48 challenge: running for four miles every four hours for 48 hours.
For those of us that feel daunted by the full challenge we are offering two alternatives:
A Team Challenge - a team of four people take on the 4X4X48 as a relay.
The Light Challenge - 4 minutes of physical activity, every four hours for 48 hours.
The challenge can be done anywhere but starts on March 5, 2022, at 8:00 pm. so, join our board chair, Rob Meredith, and raise some critical funds for ABLE2!
Registration opens soon.
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Evening in the Maritimes Ticket Sales on sale in February | |
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Evening in the Maritimes tickets go on sale on Friday, February 11. Our early bird pricing will be offered until February 28 only. Don't delay securing your tickets; this year we will be capping the numbers attending as one of the measures we are taking to provide a safe experience for everyone.
Evening in the Maritimes is always a WHALE of a good time, but most importantly, the event raises money to allow ABLE2 to support people with disabilities in our community.
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February is Black History Month
Black History Month honours the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities and is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the transformative work that Black Canadians and their communities are doing now.
ABLE2 recognises that racism and discrimination exist in our community and that people are unfairly judged based on the colour of their skin. So, we are recommitting to learning more on how to address this in our agency and community.
It is also timely to reshare Thony's story.
"It was about 12:30 pm, I left the office for a home visit in the Centretown area. I was driving along Somerset Street when I saw a police car behind me, signaling me to stop my car. It was a winter’s day. While looking for a place to safely stop my car, I started wondering why I have been stopped. The fact is, I was not speeding, as those who know my driving skills can testify. There were piles of snow everywhere, which made the driving very difficult. I finally found a place to park the car and turned off the engine.
The officer stayed in his car for several minutes. He came close to the driver’s side and asked me for my papers with a threatening tone. I did not understand what was going on, but I had the feeling that I could be in trouble. He looked so furious that I felt afraid that something could go wrong. He went back to his car and stayed in it for a long time. I really wanted to call the person I was meeting at 1:00 pm to let him know that I was running late but I felt I could not take the chance to do this. I did not want to give the officer any opportunity to be annoyed with me. So, I just waited, waited and waited.
Finally, he approached my car to tell me in the same tone of voice “You should clean your plate, which has too much snow.” Then he left.
I was stunned and felt so bad even though I knew I was not doing anything wrong. I asked myself “What did I do wrong? Why did he use that tone of voice to talk to me as if I was a criminal?” And I was sure that my experience would be different if only I was different. It took me a while to compose myself to continue my way to the home visit."
A small incident in Ottawa, but likely a common one too.
Thony Jean-Baptiste is the Manager of our Matching Program. For more than 15 years, he has worked to create a good life for people with disabilities - transformative work for those individuals, their families and our community.
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Consumers' Action Committee Members
Are you someone with a disability? Do you have two to three hours a month to spare? We are looking for more members. It's an opportunity to have fun, develop friendships, learn how to be part of a committee and take minutes. It is also a meaningful way to address challenges for other people with disabilities in our community such as snow removal and the way people with disabilities are represented in the media.
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Looking for a EiTM Committee Member
The EiTM Committee works with ABLE2 staff to organise ABLE2's premier fundraising event. Curating the many unique items offered in the silent auction is crucial to the success of this event. We are looking for a dynamic and motivated individual to lead this important initiative.
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Community Resources
COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments
Community clinics are now offering drop-in appointments to everyone eligible for a first, second, and booster dose, including children 5 years of age or older.
For those unable to wait potentially long periods of time, it is recommended you go to a larger clinic for drop-in spots, such as the EY Centre, the Nepean Sportsplex – Curling Rink Entrance, and the University of Ottawa – Minto Sports Complex. Alternatively, you can make an appointment through the Provincial booking system to guarantee your spot and many appointments are currently available.
All clinic locations are accessible and have supports available, such as accessible parking, wheelchairs, and quiet areas. More information on general accessibility of the clinics can be found on the Ottawa Public Health Website under “Are the vaccination Clinics Accessible?”. Those who require other accommodations are encouraged to book in advance and complete the accommodations request form at least 48 hours prior to your appointment.
Ottawa Public Health will post information on wait times on their social media accounts, as necessary. Twitter @OttawaHealth, Facebook: Ottawa Public Health.
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Town Hall Recap
Last night, more than 40 people joined our Virtual Town Hall meeting with Executive Director Heather Lacey.
Heather provided a recap on last year's operations, including the impacts of the pandemic on those we support and our financial situations. She also spoke about what we can expect in 2022 and encouraged everyone to continue to help ABLE2 through volunteering, attending events and becoming donors.
Thank you for attending. We love spending time with you and talking about our work.
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