Category: Blog Post

Imagine being offered a job you actually want. The pay is fair, the team is supportive, and the work is meaningful. Then you do the math. Every dollar earned beyond a certain threshold reduces your ODSP support. The potential promotion, extra hours, or higher salary that should move you forward suddenly comes with financial risk. This is the reality for many people with disabilities receiving disability benefits. This is the reality for many people with disabilities receiving disability benefits. 

There is no question that the barriers are real. Statistics Canada reported in 2022 that 62% of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 were employed, compared to 78% of those without disabilities. Yet more than 740,000 non-employed Canadians with disabilities were identified as having the potential to work in an inclusive and accommodating labour market. The talent exists—but too often, the opportunities do not. 

While governments have an important role to play in addressing systemic barriers, employers and organizational leaders have responsibilities too. Expanding opportunities for people with disabilities is about more than inclusion. It’s opening pathways to talent, leadership, and innovation that organizations cannot afford to overlook.

The business case is compelling. Ontario Tim Hortons franchise owner Mark Wafer, who employed dozens of people with disabilities across his restaurants, reported lower turnover, lower absenteeism, improved workplace safety, and higher productivity. He has often spoken about how employees with disabilities became some of his strongest performers and contributed to a more innovative and loyal workforce. Inclusive hiring, in this case, became a competitive advantage for his business. 

But hiring is only the beginning. If employers benefit from hiring people with disabilities, they will also benefit from investing in their growth. 

Mainstream conversations about disability and employment focus on getting people into jobs. That matters, but we rarely ask where they are five or ten years later. Are people with disabilities building careers? Are they moving into leadership positions? Are they gaining the skills, experience, and opportunities needed to achieve greater financial independence? Or are they expected to remain in the same roles indefinitely, grateful simply to be employed?

If people with disabilities make up more than one quarter of Canada’s population, why are they so rarely represented in leadership roles? Statistics Canada found that only 0.8% of corporate executives identified as having a disability. That gap should make us ask not whether talent exists, but whether pathways to leadership do. And too often, career pathways narrow long before leadership opportunities come into view. 

The challenge isn’t getting people with disabilities into jobs. It’s ensuring they have the same opportunities to grow, advance, and lead. I acknowledge that not everyone wants to become a manager or executive, and that’s perfectly fine. The issue is whether those who want to grow have the same opportunities to do so as everyone else.

If we are serious about creating accessible workplaces, we need to think beyond recruitment and ask who is being mentored, who is being encouraged to take on new responsibilities, who is being considered for advancement, and who is being overlooked. Sometimes that starts with something as simple as identifying employees with leadership potential and creating development plans for them, just as you would for any other high-performing employee.

Professional development matters because it creates pathways to leadership, higher earnings, greater confidence and self-determination. And more importantly, investing in professional growth sends a powerful message: we see your potential, we’re investing in you.

I was recently listening to the Voices of ABLE2 podcast featuring disability champion and former NHL player Jim Kyte. As the first deaf player in NHL history, Jim spoke about his unique strategies to adapt to the sport, allowing him to outperform many of his peers and compete at the highest level of the game. He also spoke about advocating for accessible transportation in Gatineau Park, when the National Capital Commission (NCC) limited access to self-propelled modes of transportation during the pandemic. His efforts helped influence the provision of on-demand shuttle services, improving access for everyone. What stood out to me was how lived experience shaped his perspective, not only in recognizing barriers, but in finding solutions that benefited everyone. This is the kind of leadership people with disabilities bring when they’re given opportunities to influence decisions and drive change. 

When people with disabilities advance into leadership positions, they bring perspectives that challenge assumptions, improve accessibility, and often lead to better outcomes for everyone. Their lived experience becomes an asset, not only for people with disabilities, but for organizations, communities, and society as a whole.

At ABLE2, we work every day to help people build toward greater independence through programs that support skill development, financial literacy, self-advocacy, and employment readiness. We can help prepare people for opportunity, but opportunity must also exist. 

That is where employers come in.

I’m asking leaders in my network to look beyond hiring targets and think about growth. Consider whether employees with disabilities on your team are receiving meaningful opportunities to learn, lead, and advance. Are they being developed for the next step in their careers? Or have they been sitting in the same role for years with no clear pathway forward? We often talk about the untapped potential of people with disabilities. Perhaps it’s time to ask whether the real untapped potential lies within our workplaces.

The difference between employment and true inclusion is opportunity.

When we invest in the professional growth of people with disabilities, we are investing in future leaders, innovators, and changemakers. We are creating pathways to greater independence and strengthening our organizations in the process.

I’d love to hear from employers, managers, and fellow leaders: what is one thing your organization is doing, or could do, to better support the professional growth of employees with disabilities?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

Every June, Pride month arrives in full colour—parades, flags, celebrations for the hard-won progress, decades in the making. Then July follows with Disability Pride, tamer but no less important, carrying its own history and its own call to be recognized. Both moments invite celebration, but for many, Pride doesn’t begin there. Pride begins with resistance—with the decision to exist openly in a world that hasn’t always made space for you. 

It helps to look at where both movements began. For decades, queerness was treated as something to diagnose, suppress, or hide. Disability has carried a similar history, framed for generations as something to be cured or kept separated from the rest of the community. Pride, in both cases, was not born from celebration. It came from the refusal to apologize for who you are, how you move through the world, or who you love.  

That distinction matters because for a lot of people, especially those living with chronic pain, degenerative conditions, or identities their own families and communities still struggle to accept, ‘pride’ can feel like a pressure to perform a sense of joy that doesn’t reflect their reality. And that was never the point. Pride doesn’t ask anyone to love their own circumstances. Pride asks the world to stop deciding how people should feel about themselves.

This perspective becomes clearer when we look at people living at the intersection of these identities. In Canada, over 700,000 Canadians aged 15 and older identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and live with one or more disabilities. These individuals sit at the crossroad of multiple marginalized identities. The barriers they face are amplified by stigma, systemic gaps in services, and systems that weren’t designed with them in mind. 

Imagine living in a world that already questions your capabilities and also invalidates your identity. Imagine needing to disclose not just a disability, but also who you are or who you love, in healthcare systems, housing, employment, education, etc. Research consistently shows that 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals with disabilities are more likely to experience mental health challenges, face barriers to equitable services, and experience victimization because of who they are. For this population, simply existing openly can be its own form of bravery. 

And yet, the people living this reality are not defined by the barriers. They are often deeply self-aware of systems, of support, of what inclusion should actually feel like, because they have had to advocate for it in many ways others haven’t. That lived experience brings a kind of wisdom and resilience that no policy or training can replicate. 

This conversation feels especially urgent right now. We continue to see Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) efforts come under scrutiny, and in some cases, rolled back. When events designed to foster understanding and belonging are cancelled (like the recent decision to call off a drag storytime in a school setting), it raises an important question: what message are we sending to young people about who is welcome, and who is not? It’s 2026, and yet we are still seeing hesitation in spaces that are meant to be inclusive. There truly is more work to be done. 

At ABLE2, this is the work we return to every day. We are proud to stand alongside the 2LSGBTQIA+ community, especially those living with disabilities, and to provide the tools, resources, and tailored support that empower them to live with confidence and self-determination. Our Reach Legal Referral Services connects individuals with disabilities with a network of volunteer legal professionals who help them challenge discrimination and assert their rights. Our mission isn’t just to support people, but to empower them to advocate for themselves, and to build lives that are fuller, safer, and lived on their own terms. 

As June gives way to July, I’m asking my fellow leaders and advocates to carry this reframing forward. Pride isn’t just a slogan or about raising rainbow flags for one month a year. It’s an ongoing commitment to making spaces for people as they are, regardless of their identities and abilities. It’s allowing people to express themselves fully and participate in ways that are meaningful to them, without asking them first to fit into the mould they are expected to fit into. 

In celebrating, advocating, and pushing this work forward, I’ll leave you with a question: 

What is one decision you can make today that would make it easier for someone with intersecting identities to show up and participate fully in your space?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

We recently wrapped up our largest annual fundraising event, Evening in the Maritimes, celebrating its 30-year milestone of impact, connection & community. It came together seamlessly, but behind the scenes, this one evening represents months of planning, coordination, and care from a small but deeply committed team, supported by an incredible group of volunteers. 

As I watched the room come together that night, I found myself thinking less about the event itself and more about the people behind it—the quiet leadership, the extra hours, the small decisions that no one sees but everyone benefits from. It was a reminder, not just as an Executive Director but as someone who has spent decades in this sector, that the people behind the work are our greatest asset.  

It’s National AccessAbility Week from May 31^st to June 6^th, a time to celebrate the accomplishments and leadership of Canadians with disabilities. But I find myself reflecting on how we should also be celebrating the people behind the work, the ones showing up every day to drive the mission forward, often in ways that go unseen. 

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that the organizations creating the most sustainable impact aren’t necessarily those with the biggest budgets. They are places where people stay and do meaningful work, without burning out in the process. They are the ones who have sustainable workplace environments, built with intention and a clear understanding that people need the right conditions to do their best work.

We often speak about accessibility in programs and communities, removing barriers so individuals with disabilities can fully participate. That same thinking should also apply within our organizations. Staff well-being needs to be treated as part of the accessibility standard.  

At ABLE2, that understanding has shaped our approach to workplace culture. Our work in disability advocacy has taught us that barriers aren’t always visible. Someone might struggle because the environment wasn’t designed with them in mind. Rigid systems exclude people, inflexible expectations wear people down, and the one-size-fits-all approaches leave people out. These patterns exist in workplaces too, even when we don’t immediately recognize them. 

When we ask staff to build resilience, we sometimes ask them to work around barriers we could remove. When we praise people for going above and beyond their roles or being available outside of their working hours, we reinforce a culture where overextension is seen as the norm. When someone reaches a breaking point, the focus shifts to self-care and boundaries, without fully examining whether the work itself was ever sustainable.

Resilience matters. But it cannot be the only strategy. 

What if we spent equal energy asking a different question: What barriers are making the work harder than it needs to be? 

When ABLE2 transitioned to remote work, the goal was to improve access by meeting people where they are, and to invest our resources more intentionally in our programs and services. In doing so, we removed barriers like commuting, rigid office hours, and the limitations of a physical office space. What became clear over time was how much this also mattered for our team. Staff who were managing chronic health conditions, caregiving responsibilities, sensory sensitivities, or mobility challenges were able to direct more of their energy into the work itself, instead of constantly adjusting their lives to fit around it. The work didn’t just get easier, but it became more possible to sustain.  

I also recognize that remote work isn’t an option for every organization. Many roles in our sector are rooted in in-person services, requiring physical space and equipment to deliver programs. And even in our own experience, working remotely comes with its own challenges like feeling disconnected at times, blurred boundaries between work and home, and differences in people’s home environments. It’s not a universal solution. But the principle holds: how we structure work can have an outsized impact on people’s capacity to contribute. 

It can look like flexible scheduling that doesn’t require justification, so people can manage medical appointments, caregiving responsibilities, or different productivity patterns. Clear role boundaries so people know what success looks like and aren’t constantly wondering if they’re doing enough. Trust-based work cultures where output matters more than when or where work happens. 

It also means leadership that models these expectations. When leaders take time off or truly step away, it makes it easier for others to do the same without guilt. When leaders stop expecting after-hours email responses or deliverables, it signals that sustainability matters more than constant availability. When leaders are honest about their limits, others feel comfortable setting realistic expectations. 

These shifts don’t require major budget allocations. They require the willingness to examine how things are done and question whether they still make sense. And these shifts don’t just serve employees with disabilities; it benefits everyone. 

I’m not suggesting we can eliminate all stress from work. The nature of our work will always carry weight. We respond to real needs, often with limited resources, and the stakes are high. But we can be intentional about where the difficulty comes from. 

At ABLE2, we are still learning. We strive to distinguish between challenges inherent to our mission and challenges we’ve created through our remote workplace culture. We try to get better at asking: What’s getting in the way of people doing their best work? What can we change? 

We’re also learning that supporting staff well-being isn’t separate from mission effectiveness. When people have what they need to succeed—clarity, flexibility, trust, reasonable workloads—they do better work. Programs improve, creativity flourishes, people want to stay and build expertise—ultimately strengthening everything we do for the people we support. 

National AccessAbility Week is a time to recognize progress and reaffirm our commitments for the work ahead. For me, it is also a reminder that inclusion starts within our own walls, in how we run our organizations. It’s reflected in how work is structured, what we ask of people, and what we are willing to change. When well-being is treated as part of accessibility, the work becomes steadier, more thoughtful, and ultimately, more sustainable. 

Thirty years of Evening in the Maritimes is a milestone to celebrate. But what stays with me is not just the event itself, but the people behind it. The staff and volunteers who have shown up year after year, carrying the work forward in ways most will never see. After another successful event, I find myself asking a different question: not how we sustain the event, but how we sustain the people who make it possible. 

When we remove barriers for our teams, we build a stronger organization capable of sustaining impact over time. When we model the inclusion we advocate for, we create environments where people can bring their best without compromising their well-being. And when we truly take care of our people, the mission moves forward with purpose.  

For leaders in my network, what is one expectation or norm in your organization that you’ve had to challenge once you realized it wasn’t actually working for your team? I’d love to hear about your experiences. 

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

National Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate and ignite the heartbeat of the communities: volunteers. As Volunteer Canada’s theme reminds us this year, igniting volunteers is more than appreciation, but about fueling purpose, connection, and impact. They do more than fill the gaps where small organizations like ours are limited. Volunteers bring specialized skills, deep commitment, and authentic community connection, often providing support that paid staff alone cannot. They are dedicated individuals investing their most valuable resources—time, skills, energies—into work they believe matters. 

But as we celebrate volunteers, appreciation alone isn’t enough. The thank-you notes and recognition events are well-intentioned, but volunteers deserve to be treated as strategic partners in an organization’s mission. They deserve meaningful, accessible, and well-designed volunteer experiences that reflect the value of what they contribute to the people and communities we serve, and treating them with the same respect we give paid work. 

At ABLE2, more than 500 volunteers contribute up to 16,000 hours each year. They provide critical legal services and resources through the Reach Legal Referral Services. They build genuine friendships as Allies in our Matching Program. They help bring community together through events like Evening in the Maritimes, the Annual Picnic, and the Holiday Dinner & Dance. Their contributions are vital to bring our vision to reality—an inclusive community where every person, regardless of ability, is seen as able, important, and valued.  

Over time, we’ve learned what moves people from ‘helping out when they can’ to becoming deeply engaged advocates, ambassadors, and champions of inclusion. The difference is not gratitude. Its intention. 

Meaningful volunteerism begins with growth and purpose. Instead of asking ‘how can you help us?’, we must ask, ‘how can we create environments where your skills, talents, and lived experience can flourish?’ Our most engaged volunteers are those who are given opportunities to learn, to lead, and to connect. They want to do more than just clock in hours; they want belonging. When that happens, organizations benefit from deeper commitment, greater impact, and stronger community ties. 

Meaningful volunteer engagement also requires intentional recognition. Not just certificates or tokens of appreciation (which are great gestures nevertheless), but real integration into the work, valuing expertise, respecting their perspectives, and supporting them where they need it. Setting volunteers up for success and allowing them to lead where their contributions are most meaningful has far greater impact than any formal recognition alone. 

Most importantly, meaningful volunteer experiences must be accessible from the start. Volunteers bring different abilities, schedules, communication styles, identities, and needs. Inclusive volunteerism means building flexibility into roles, not treating the accessibility as an add-on. This is where many organizations, including ours at times, must continue to push ourselves. 

Some of the most impactful volunteers in our community are people with lived experience of disability. They bring insight, empathy, and understanding that cannot be taught. Yet rigid expectations, inaccessible processes, and unfounded assumptions too often exclude them. People with disabilities are not only recipients of services, but are contributors, leaders, and changemakers.

Organizations that invest properly in volunteer engagement, through accessibility, training, meaningful roles, and genuine appreciation, gain far more than just getting the work done. They gain diverse perspectives that strengthen the mission, ambassadors who advocate in the community, increased trust and credibility, and resilient volunteer networks. 

This kind of engagement requires resources. Volunteer coordination takes time. Thoughtful role design takes planning. Accessibility requires planning. Recognition must be ongoing and sincere. But the return of investment is undeniable. 

Volunteerism should never be about extracting time or labour. It should be about building community—creating spaces where people can contribute their skills, feel connected to something bigger, and know their efforts matter.

ABLE2 has intentionally invested in its volunteer program because we believe our volunteers are not helpers on the sidelines, but strategic partners at the heart of our mission. Their time changes lives, and their commitment helps build stronger, more inclusive communities.

Inclusion must be imbedded in how volunteer opportunities are designed and led. That means:

• Designing flexible roles that meet people where they are, rather than expecting them to fit a mould

• Defining clear expectations and meaningful work that connects individual contributions to real impact
• Recognizing contributions in ways that are genuine and personal, not transactional or performative
• Creating pathways for volunteers to grow, lead, and shape the work itself, not just support it

Because when leaders intentionally build volunteer experiences with care and inclusion, volunteers don’t simply fill gaps, but deepen impact, strengthen culture, and help organizations thrive.

This National Volunteer Week, let’s take the call to ignite volunteers to heart. Not through words alone, but through the intentional choices we make as leaders: how we design roles, remove barriers, recognize contributions, and create space for people to belong and lead. When volunteer experiences are accessible, meaningful, and inclusive, everyone has the opportunity to give and to grow.

I’d love to learn from this community: What does truly meaningful volunteer engagement look like in your organization, and what’s one barrier you’re still working to remove?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

Advocacy has always been part of my life. As a mother to my son with autism, I’ve spent years pushing through systems not designed for families like mine. I’ve sat in rooms as the lone voice, fighting for his right to be included, and insisting that doors stay open when they close on us. Those experiences have shaped my career, my leadership approach, and my understanding of what real advocacy actually requires. And it has taught me that women are the strongest advocates in every space they occupy. 

Women hold systems together while navigating barriers themselves. We are caregivers, organizers, problem-solvers, innovators. We build networks, create solutions, and support our families and communities, not only because we can, but because we must. So this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” resonates deeply. When women are given access, opportunity, and support, families gain. Communities gain. Organizations gain. Everyone gains. 

But there is a group of women whose realities remain largely invisible in these conversations: women with disabilities. They face some of the steepest barriers of all, experiencing not only the gender wage gap and the disability employment gap, gaps that widen even further at the intersections of racism, poverty, and systemic exclusion. Women with disabilities hold just 0.3% of senior leadership roles in Canada, and only 59% of persons with disabilities are employed at all. These numbers make it clear that these aren’t individual shortcomings, but systemic flaws.

In my career, I’ve watched this play out: women shut out of workplaces that won’t accommodate them, talented leaders passed over because someone assumed disability meant inability, women with disabilities trapped in benefit systems that discourage financial capacity. And what’s frustrating is that we know we can change it, we’re just not investing enough to do it.

When we invest in women with disabilities through access, accommodation, opportunity, and trust, we gain far more than we give. We gain exceptional problem-solvers who’ve spent their lives navigating systems not built for them. We gain employees who demonstrate loyalty because meaningful employment isn’t something they take for granted. We gain perspectives that strengthen products, services, and workplace culture in ways homogeneous teams never could. And we gain communities that thrive when the people most marginalized are empowered to lead.

Talking about their realities is not enough. The true “give to gain” equation requires real, tangible investment. Real investment looks like designing flexibility and accommodation into workplaces as a standard, not a perk or afterthought. Real investment is expanding financial literacy and security initiatives that address poverty traps, benefit clawbacks, and the economic barriers unique to women with disabilities. Investment is normalizing accessible hiring practices to break down the barriers in the labour market. It’s providing real pathways to leadership and advancement, so women with disabilities can take on more leadership roles. And finally, committing to measurable equity, closing gaps in wages, employment, and unmet accommodation needs, and holding ourselves accountable for progress. 

The return on investment is unambiguous. Research shows that advancing gender equality could contribute up to $150 billion to Canada’s GDP, and improving disability employment measurably increases productivity, stability, and overall workforce participation. 

But beyond the economics, something more fundamental is at stake: when women with disabilities gain economic security, their families stabilize. When they gain employment, entire community narratives shift about who belongs in workplaces. When they gain leadership positions, they change what’s possible for the next generation. 

We see this a lot in our work at ABLE2. We see mothers who, once supported, become fierce advocates for other families. We see women who gain financial skills turn around to mentor others navigating the same systems. We see employees who, when accommodated and trusted, grow into transformational leaders. These are not just anecdotes. These are real impacts of empowering women with disabilities. 

And yet, society remains stuck in a cycle where women with disabilities must still fight for every opportunity, every accommodation, every dollar. We celebrate those who “overcome” barriers instead of committing to removing the barriers altogether. We offer programs that fill gaps, when what people need are systemic changes.

In celebrating women, I urge you to commit to actual investment in women with disabilities. Ask yourself: What are we giving that helps women with disabilities gain?

Because when women with disabilities have what they need to truly succeed, we all gain. The question now is simple: are we ready to invest like we mean it?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

February 20 marks World Day of Social Justice. This year’s theme by the United Nations, “Social Protection and Decent Work for All”, calls for practical policies that reduce poverty, strengthen public services, and ensure access to justice and wellbeing for everyone.

For people with disabilities, this isn’t theoretical. It’s personal.

Social justice is often discussed in terms of income supports, employment rates, or labor rights. Those matter profoundly, but for many people with disabilities, justice begins even earlier, with a more fundamental question: Can I access legal protection at all? 

Can I understand my rights? Challenge decisions affecting my housing, income, or healthcare? Navigate systems designed without me in mind? Afford legal guidance when I need it most? 

When the answer is no, every other social protection becomes a promise without a pathway. 

At ABLE2, the Reach Legal Referral Services exists because access to justice is not equitable. Legal systems can be overwhelming, expensive, and inaccessible, particularly for people living with disabilities or limited financial means. This service bridges that gap.

We mobilize a network of over 200 volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and mediators who provide up to 3 hours of free, confidential legal consultation. For many clients, this is the first time they’ve felt heard in a system that felt stacked against them. Sometimes it’s the difference between losing housing and maintaining stability, between exploitation and protection, or between giving up and asserting their rights. 

Access to justice underpins every other social protection system.

Without it, workers cannot defend their labor rights, tenants cannot challenge unsafe or discriminatory housing practices, families cannot secure benefits they are entitled to, and individuals cannot protect themselves from exploitation or abuse. When legal protections are inaccessible, rights are theoretical.

The UN’s theme emphasizes decent work. For people with disabilities, decent work requires more than job opportunities. It requires enforceable workplace accommodations, protection from discrimination, fair wages, and meaningful participation. 

But when you can’t access legal systems to challenge discrimination or demand accommodations, “decent work” remains out of reach, regardless of how many jobs exist. 

Employment equity laws mean nothing if people can’t exercise them. 

ABLE2’s Reach Legal Referral Services, and other programs at ABLE2 that provide navigation support and advocacy help ensure people don’t navigate fragmented systems alone. We work to reduce stigma, build understanding, and connect individuals to services that support dignity and stability.

But charities like ours cannot replace systemic responsibility.

Programs like ours should be bridges, not permanent solutions. Governments must adequately fund inclusive social protection systems. Employers must uphold labor rights and engage in meaningful social dialogue. Communities must challenge stigma and invest in local initiatives that connect people to services and opportunities.

Social justice is not achieved through statements. It is achieved through structures that work for everyone from the start. 

If we are serious about “Social Protection and Decent Work for All,” then access to justice must be non-negotiable, not a charitable service, but a fundamental right with infrastructure to support it. 

On this World Day of Social Justice, I’m challenging leaders, policymakers, employers, and community members alike: examine where barriers still exist, and remove them. Fund inclusive systems. Design services that are accessible from the start. Ensure people with disabilities can claim their rights, not just read about them.

Social cohesion strengthens when inclusion is intentional. Justice delayed for some is justice denied for all. 

Social justice is built through action. Let’s build it together.

Where do you see justice gaps in your community? What role might you play in closing them?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

I’ve never been one for resolutions. But as I reflect on ABLE2’s remarkable year and look ahead to 2026, I’m clear about what we’re leaving behind and what we’re intentionally building toward.

2025 exceeded expectations in ways I didn’t anticipate.  

We hit our revenue goal by Q3, well ahead of the Q4 period that typically carries our fundraising. We earned three times more in media features than the previous year, further amplifying disability voices across the region. We said yes to non-traditional partnerships— including a Twitch gamer who raised over $1,300 in a 13-hour livestream— and deepened relationships with long-time supporters. We showed up where our community gathered, from Capital PRIDE to professional roundtables. And our transition to fully remote operations, which seemed risky to others, became one of our greatest strengths— allowing us to meet people where they are, when they need us, unconfined by physical walls or office hours. 

But perhaps the most meaningful transformation was how we showed up for the people we support.

We reduced our Matching Program waitlist by 26%, which meant that individuals who had been waiting years were finally matched with their Allies. The Fetal Alcohol Resource Program (FARP) saw wait times fall by 67%, and children, youth and their families received help almost 19 months sooner. Our Funding Brokerage services served nearly 80% more clients, and our Housing Support program supported 140% more in 2025 compared to the previous year.

The data reveals how much greater our impact can be when we streamline our programs, strengthen the quality of our delivery, and let data guide smarter, more intentional decisions.

2025 showed us what’s possible when we choose evolution over ‘what works’.

Now here’s what we’re committed to for 2026. 

What’s out: Hustle-culture as a badge of honour

What’s in: Staff wellbeing as a strategic priority that supports sustainable, meaningful work

Burnout should never be the cost of commitment. When staff have what they need—resources, support, mental health care, compassion—they can show up fully for the community better. Wellbeing isn’t a perk. It’s infrastructure. 

Leading with care for our team means they can lead with care for the people we support.

What’s out: Relying on ‘what’s always worked’ 

What’s in: Creativity, visibility & community-driven engagement

Marketing & communications aren’t just for vanity. It’s how the community discovers what we offer, understands our impact, and finds meaningful ways to get involved.

In 2026, we’re expanding our communications footprint—building partnerships with community voices, exploring influencer collaborations, and engaging in digital spaces like gaming livestreams where authentic connection already thrives. We’ve seen the power of these unconventional approaches. Now we’re ready to maximize them.

We’re also being intentional about where we focus our time and resources: investing in programs with strong potential and pursuing grants that align closely with our mission and strengths.

These choices ensure our impact is not only felt—but seen, understood, and championed.

What’s out: Being the default decision-maker and feeling responsible for every answer and every call

What’s in: Human-centered leadership—leading with care, listening deeply, and learning alongside my team

I learn something every day from my team, from the people we support, and from taking risks that stretch what’s possible. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about creating space for others to shine, listening deeply, and staying curious enough to keep growing.

I’m not perfect, and I don’t need to be.

What I am committed to is learning continuously, refining how I lead, and adapting to a world that changes faster than any one person can keep up with. My team challenges me, teaches me, and inspires me, and that shared growth is what makes our work stronger.

These aren’t resolutions, but commitments rooted in what 2025 proved possible.

We’re investing in people—our staff and our community.

We’re investing in bold strategies that reflect how the world actually works today.

We’re investing in our evolution as an organization committed to sustainable, innovative, courageous disability advocacy.

The disability community deserves a champion that shows up boldly—online, in person, and everywhere people gather. That means taking care of our team, diversifying the way we resource our work, and being fearless about trying new approaches.

2025 showed us we can achieve remarkable things when we’re willing to adapt.
2026 is about doing those things with intention, investment, and care.

What are you leaving behind this year? What are you investing in?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

Reflecting on 2025 and what happens when a community shows up for people with disabilities

I saw Wicked recently, and in the very emotional final duet “For Good,” Elphaba and Glinda reflect on how profoundly they’ve changed each other’s lives. That song stayed with me and inspired this reflection as I look back at ABLE2’s journey from 2024 to 2025. This will sound cliché, but the line “…changed for good” captures exactly what happened when our community showed up in our moment of greatest need. 

In 2024, ABLE2 faced a financial challenge that put 50 years of community impact at risk. Like many small charities, we were stretched between rising demand and shrinking resources. For the first time in my tenure, I wasn’t sure if we would survive. 

To protect our most essential programs, we made difficult decisions like closing some programs and laying off staff. These were among the hardest conversations I’ve had as Executive Director, and the impact on those affected weighed heavily on me. But with limited resources and growing need, these steps were necessary to continue supporting the most vulnerable people in our community.

At year-end of 2024, we launched a digital-only fundraising appeal. No direct mail, minimal marketing budget, just honesty. We told the truth about our financial situation, and our message of hope that those who believed in our mission would step up. Based on previous years, we knew to expect modest results from this campaign.  

Instead, something remarkable happened. Our supporters didn’t just respond to the call. They exceeded it. Donations came from longtime partners, first-time donors, former volunteers, families we supported years ago, and advocates in the community. They showed up for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Their generosity allowed ABLE2 to stabilize, rebuild and enter 2025 on stronger ground. 

Our champions changed us— for good.  

With this renewed stability, we knew we had to be more strategic with our resources. Midway through 2025, we made a decision that felt both risky and necessary: ABLE2 transitioned to fully remote operations and closed its physical office space. 

Some worried this would reduce our impact or visibility, or compromise productivity. But we moved forward with confidence because we have always known our strength lies not within the four walls of an office—it’s our connection to the community. 

Freed from the limitations of a physical location, our team met program users, volunteers, and supporters where they were. We eliminated barriers like travel, rigid schedules, and the pressures of a traditional office environment. Our staff gained the flexibility to deliver programs in ways that reflect people’s needs and preferences, while also maintaining a healthier work–life balance for themselves.

This wasn’t new to us. We had already been operating this way since the pandemic, and our results consistently showed that our effectiveness depended on relationships, not real estate.

Since going fully remote, we have reached and supported more people and have moved families off waitlists. We have onboarded more volunteers, welcomed new donors, and strengthened partnerships with organizations and businesses that share our vision.

Every FASD training session, every match, every navigation support, and every advocacy effort has been possible because of this shift and because of the champions who continue to stand with us.

2025 has shown us what happens when a community steps up for inclusion. It has shown us that small organizations can have outsized impact when surrounded by champions. It has shown us that the work of centering disability voices, building inclusive communities, and breaking down barriers, requires all of us, working together.

To everyone who donated, volunteered, partnered, advocated, and believed in ABLE2 this year: thank you. You didn’t just lift us out of crisis—you affirmed that people with disabilities matter. 

You became their Everyday Champions. 

As 2025 draws to a close, I’m deeply grateful for everything this community has made possible. And while we have made real progress, the need has not slowed.

People with disabilities are still fighting for basic inclusion. Families are still navigating fragmented systems alone. Young adults are still aging out of supports without a clear path forward. The gap between awareness and action remains wide.

ABLE2 exists to bridge that gap—to be the champion in someone’s corner, to build the inclusive community we all deserve. But we cannot do this work alone.

This holiday season, I’m asking you to be an Everyday Champion for people with disabilities.

Your gift ensures we begin 2026 strong—just as your generosity at the end of 2024 transformed our trajectory this year.

Your gift today means:

• Someone like Chris finds genuine friendship instead of isolation;
• Individuals like Elijah increase their financial literacy and build skills toward independence,
• Families like the Desormeauxes receive the tools, resources and education to support their loved ones;
• And individuals like Olga access legal support to assert their rights.

Your support champions lives of meaning and joy. Read their stories here or listen to their voices on our podcast.

We are close to our year-end goal. A gift today will help ensure ABLE2 can carry this momentum forward and continue creating connection, belonging, and opportunity in the year ahead.

Will you be an Everyday Champion for people with disabilities before the year ends? 

Make a gift here: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/ABLE2DonateSM

Thank you for standing with us, now and into the future.

Happy Holidays!

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

When my son was diagnosed with autism and developmental delays in the 1980s, I did what any parent does—I imagined his future. But in one meeting, a professional told me bluntly: “Your child’s not going to be a brain surgeon.”

I remember thinking: I don’t need him to be a brain surgeon. I just want him to have a good life.

That simple wish has required 40 years of relentless advocacy. But even back then, I knew I shouldn’t have had to fight this hard. 

In the 1990s, when I advocated for my son to be integrated into a regular classroom alongside special programming, I was almost always the lone voice at the table. Professionals told me all the reasons why it couldn’t be done. 

But we got there. Through high school, he was fully integrated. Things were adapted to meet his needs. He had friends he could eat lunch with, assistants who supported him, and a life that included him in his community.

It took exhausting advocacy. It took being his everyday champion—and having other champions in his life: grandparents, aunts, uncles, a network of people who believed he deserved more than survival.

After 40 years, I can tell you this with certainty: you don’t raise a child with a disability without a network of support. People have told me that I was brave or courageous, but I was simply doing what I had to do for my child to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. 

Watching my son take the bus alone for the first time terrified me. But he wanted that independence—and part of being in a community means trusting him to navigate it. I’ve had to learn that it’s not my life; it’s his. My role is to help facilitate what he wants, not always what I think he needs.

Today, my son makes friends wherever he goes. He enjoys his work and chores. He likes working out, going to the mall, having his special lunch every week—just like anyone else. He’s a nice, loving person living the life he wants.

And that’s all I had ever hoped for— that he lives his best life.

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still need champions. We’re planning ahead for when we’re no longer here, ensuring his sibling is involved, making sure he has advocates beyond family. Because the reality is, we all need someone in our corner when life gets hard. We all need someone to champion for us when we’re too exhausted to advocate for ourselves. 

People need people to thrive. It’s not just a disability issue— it’s a human one.

We have indeed come a long way since the 80s, but we haven’t come far enough. Parents today are still advocating as hard, or even more than we did decades ago. They’re still navigating fragmented services alone, still fighting for inclusion as if it’s optional, still hearing “no” when they ask for their children to be treated with dignity.

It’s exhausting. It’s frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Not every person with a disability has a parent who can advocate. Not every parent has the network of support we had. And even those who do shouldn’t have to fight alone.

This Giving Tuesday, I’m asking you to become an Everyday Champion for people with disabilities.

Your support means a parent doesn’t have to be the lone voice at the table. It means a young adult has someone advocating for housing, employment, and independence as their parents age. It means people with disabilities have champions beyond their families—professionals, allies, and community members who believe they deserve more than survival.

When you support ABLE2, you’re strengthening the advocacy, programs, and networks that ensure no one fights alone. You’re creating the inclusive community we should have built decades ago.

My son grew up to be a nice, loving person who enjoys his life. That’s what makes me proud—not what he accomplished by society’s standards, but that he’s living the life he wants.

Every person with a disability deserves that. They deserve champions who will advocate when they’re exhausted, fight when systems fail them, and believe in their potential even when others don’t.

This Giving Tuesday, will you be an Everyday Champion for people with disabilities?

Champion lives of meaning and joy today: https://www.able2.org/be-an-everyday-champion/

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

Canadian businesses face a stark paradox: a critical labor shortage of more than 527,000 vacancies remains unfilled, while 740,000 qualified, eager Canadians can’t find work. The talent gap is right in front of us, but outdated hiring practices are keeping too many employers from tapping into it, costing the Canadian economy up to $422 billion in lost potential.

For years, conversations about hiring people with disabilities have leaned on the same language; ‘it’s the right thing to do’, ‘it’s about corporate social responsibility’, ‘it’s a moral imperative’. It’s all true, but also only part of the story. Disability inclusion isn’t just a moral imperative, but a strategic business advantage. 

The numbers don’t lie— businesses excelling in disability inclusion report 1.6 times more revenue and 2.6 times more net income compared to competitors. Research from the Institute for Work & Health shows that closing the employment gap could yield between $252.8 to $422.7 billion into Canada’s economy, create 450,000 new jobs by 2030 and add $50 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2030. This is more than just inclusion talk, but a growth strategy. 

Yet here we are, facing talent shortages while overlooking a highly skilled, diverse talent pool. The disconnect isn’t about capability. What is holding employers back is the outdated misconception that accommodation is costly or complicated. In reality, most accommodations like flexible schedules, remote work, adjustable workstations, are low-cost practices that benefit all employees. Research shows that for every dollar invested in accommodations, companies earn an average $28 return. Retention tells the same story. One franchise study showed that stores employing staff with disabilities saw 35% turnover rate, compared to 75% industry average. 

The accommodation problem is a myth. The real problem is that workplaces have built their systems around an outdated idea of the ‘ideal employee’, and anyone who doesn’t fit that narrow mould is treated as requiring special treatment. 

When employers remove unnecessary barriers and build supportive cultures, everyone benefits. Productivity, engagement, and loyalty increase. Teams become more innovative and resilient.

When I became Executive Director of ABLE2 in August 2018, I could never have imagined that just two years later, a global pandemic would push us into remote work. I expected challenges and pushback, but what I got instead was a revelation.

Transportation and scheduling barriers were removed. Staff had the flexibility to manage health and family matters, and overall productivity went up. Team members who found our office environment overwhelming could finally focus without the sensory overload. We extended this same flexibility to the people we support, meeting them where they are, and how it works best for them. 

We didn’t set out to reinvent workplace accessibility. But the pandemic revealed just how many barriers we had quietly accepted as “normal.” In September, we made a strategic shift to fully remote operations and closed our office space. We see this as a competitive edge where our staff is more productive, more loyal and more innovative. And we better serve our community because our workforce reflects it. 

As leaders and employers, you can build inclusive hiring practices through: 

• Accessible job postings: Use plain language, focusing on essential skills and clearly state that accommodation is available. Ensure websites, forms and assessments are accessible.
• Diversifying your outreach: Work with disability-focused agencies and participate in job fairs to connect with skilled candidates.
• Accessible interviews: Offer interview format options such as video, written or in-person to suit diverse needs, and encourage candidates to request accommodation upfront, ensuring they can perform at their best. 
• Embedding support systems: Ensure tools, technology, and workspace adjustments are in place. Adopt a person-centered approach by asking candidates what would allow them to bring their full potential to work. 
• Fostering a culture of belonging: Train teams on disability inclusion, make inclusion visible in leadership, and embed it into company values. 
• Investing in career growth: Pair employees with mentors, create advancement pathways, and diversify leadership. 

October is National Disability Employment Month, and we celebrate employees with disabilities who make our workplaces more inclusive, innovative, and resilient. But it’s also a moment to confront the barriers that remain and how much potential remains untapped. 

Employers who embrace disability inclusion gain what others overlook: exceptional talent, innovative teams, and a stronger connection to diverse markets. People with disabilities bring lived experience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills that are invaluable in a changing economy. They have long made significant contributions to our communities, and at ABLE2, we see them thrive and have meaningful and fulfilling lives when they are empowered and given opportunities to participate in the community. 

Expertise, support, and qualified candidates already exist. The real question isn’t whether you can afford to hire people with disabilities, it’s whether you can afford not to. The future of work is inclusive. Will your company lead or lag behind? 

Leaders, it’s a perfect time to ask yourselves— what would it take to transform these barriers into opportunities?

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here