Greetings!

September is one of my favourite—and busiest—times of the year here at KidsAbility!

For some children we serve, it's a time of new beginnings. Our teachers and educational assistants welcomed our newest cohort of JK students last week to our KidsAbility School locations in Cambridge and Waterloo.

For older children attending a WRDSB school, it's a shift back to receiving School-Based Rehabilitation Services (SBRS) in the classroom from a summer of on-site therapy sessions with our SBRS teams.

For back to school and all year long, KidsAbility is here for kids and their families—just like you are here for them to reach their milestones every day with your generous and caring support.

In this issue of Connections, you'll find plenty of community and fundraising events where you can get involved and make an incredible impact that truly makes a future of possibilities.

Thank you for all that you do as a friend of KidsAbility.

I'll be back in your inbox next month,

P.S. As school begins, celebrate a teacher, therapist or educational assistant you admire by honouring them with a donation that makes a difference!

A "Play-ful" Farewell

After nearly 30 years of laughter and play, the original wooden playground at our Waterloo site was retired over the summer. Built in 1995 and funded by our community, our playground filled childhood memories with joy, connection, and play. Thanks to the efforts of off-duty firefighters from the Waterloo Professional Firefighters Association who volunteered their time to dismantle the structure, playground components like slides and climbing features were recycled and repurposed, where possible. The space will be reimagined for outdooor programming to support kids and their families served by KidsAbility.

A space of play, exploration and growth continues at our new, fully accessible playground on the east side of our Waterloo building. Open to all in the community daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., when not is use during KidsAbility's operating hours Monday to Friday.

See our new playground in action.

Get on the list! When ticket purchases go live, you'll receive a personal invite to join us for Music Bingo—a night of elegance & entertainment at Langdon Hall.

This event brings together a variety of local community providers offering inclusive recreation opportunities for children and youth.

Families and members of our community are invited to attend and explore programs available across Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Woolwich, and surrounding areas.

A highlight of the evening will be our Adaptive Gaming Station, designed for individuals of all ages and abilities, and hosted by our KidsAbility Innovation and Research team Rocket Discovery Centre.

We encourage you to register, spread the word within your network, and come to the event to discover new ways for kids and their families to play and participate.

Wednesday, September 24 | 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

KidsAbility Waterloo, 500 Hallmark Drive

Watch for an email with your personalized link to our Gratitude Report 2024-2025—a celebration of YOU and the impact you make possible at KidsAbility with your financial support. Coming directly to your inbox on September 30!

A: Absolutely! Whether it's $5, $10, $15 or more, you're helping kids access pediatric rehabilitation services faster and families receive hope.

Your gift, combined with other caring donors, is steady, flexible support that fuels innovative programs and initiatives and connects you to a community that's creating a collective, lasting change for kids when they need it most.

Check out all the events and fundraisers happening in our community!

Every time you donate to fundraising events, participate in community initiatives, or Shop & Support with local businesses that give back, it's a win-win for kids and their families!

Off the Ropes Studio Jeff Black hosted Slam-Demonium—a professional wrestling event and fundraiser for KidsAbility that took place at the Aud in Kitchener on May 24, 2025 which raised $8,416 for kids.

Beyond grateful for the Waterloo Regional Police Association's commitment to support KidsAbility. This year, WRPA raised $26,129 in their annual golf tourney.

Final thoughts...

Do you have a story to share? We'd love to hear from you. Simply email the Foundation team. Looking for past issues? You'll find them on our Newsletters page.

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of Connections.



Lisa Talbot, Executive Director, KidsAbility Foundation