The Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation, based in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, Canada, administers six affiliated societies that provide services for people with physical disabilities.

History

The Disability Foundation was formed by quadriplegic

Sam Sullivan Sam Sullivan (born November 13, 1959) is a Canadian politician who had served as the MLA for Vancouver-False Creek. Previously, he served as the Minister of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development with responsibility for Translink in the ...

as the Reach Disability Foundation in June 1996 to provide services for people with physical disabilities. It was renamed in December 2001 following a legal challenge by a similarly named organization in Ottawa. Sullivan resigned as executive director of the Disability Foundation and its affiliated organizations in 2005 when he was elected Mayor of Vancouver. Following his term of office, he was invited to sit on the board of directors in early 2009. The Disability Foundation board of directors has been chaired since its 1996 inception by Vancouver-based businessman Peter Jefferson. In recognition of his service to people with disabilities, Sullivan was invested as a member of the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...

in 2005 and is also a recipient of the Terry Fox Award and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award. On February 25, 2010, Sam Sullivan was announced Canada’s ambassador for the

2010 Winter Paralympics ) , nations = 44 , athletes = 506 , events = 64 in 5 sports , opening = 12 March , closing = 21 March , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Zach Beaumont , stadium = BC Place , winter_pr ...

, held in

and Whistler, British Columbia, between March 12 and March 21, 2010.Government of Canada Announces Canada's Paralympic Ambassador and Invests in the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games
wire media release, February 25, 2010.

Societies

The Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation comprises six affiliated societies: *

British Columbia Mobility Opportunities Society British Columbia Mobility Opportunities Society (BCMOS) is a not-for-profit organization that enables people with disabilities in Vancouver, Canada, to explore the outdoors. Activities include hiking and gliding. Activities BCMOS was founded by qua ...

* ConnecTra *

Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia The Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia (DSA-BC) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that enables people with disabilities to take part in a sport it promotes as "accessible and inclusive." It is located in Vancouver, BC, and ha ...

Tetra Society of North America Tetra Society of North America is a not-for-profit organization that provides volunteer engineers across Canada and the US to design and construct custom assistive devices for people with disabilities. History The Tetra Society was founded in 1987 ...

Vancouver Adapted Music Society Vancouver Adapted Music Society (VAMS) is a not-for-profit organization that encourages, supports and promotes musicians with physical disabilities in Vancouver, Canada. Programs VAMS operates programs for people with varied musical skills, inclu ...

References

{{reflist, colwidth=33em

External links

Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation
Organizations based in Vancouver