At DANI, we work with families and caregivers who need support for adults with disabilities. Our incredible staff and customized programs help our participants build and strengthen essential skills, while our social enterprise businesses create employment opportunities so those skills can be actively applied.
Our programs put a strong emphasis on person-centered planning. Our dedicated staff members work closely with individuals and families to develop individualized, goal-directed plans in order to empower our participants.
Our seven social enterprise businesses at DANI provide vocational training and paid positions for our adults with disabilities. All the profits are funneled back into the programs so we can continue supporting our participants.
DANI’s mission is to deliver a full continuum of person-centred services - including social, recreational, employment training, social enterprises and residential - to adults with cognitive challenges, incorporating Jewish practices and traditions; and integrating into the community, and its service networks.
DANI will be a dynamic, proactive, accessible, innovative, and highly collaborative organization that serves adults with cognitive challenges throughout their lifetime ensuring that they each reach their full potential.
Our amazing participants inspire us every day and we know they’ll inspire you too. Click to learn more about the journey a few of our participants have experienced with DANI.
Since joining DANI, Rita has been able to hone her incredible artistic talents. With the help of our incredible staff members and a lot of hard work, Rita has become a successful artist, whose work is being published to be sold nationwide.
Shalom came to DANI and joined the supported employment program (SEP). Our staff watched him blossom in the position over the course of two years. His incredible growth eventually led to full-time, paid employment at LeChaim Catering.
Watching Deborah grow and gain confidence at DANI has been truly inspiring. She has done amazing work across our social enterprise business and now helps us keep DANI safe and clean during COVID.
Your donation will help us create opportunities for adults with disabilities, so they can gain independence and participate as fully valued members of the community.
Tula uses a person-centered approach to design and implement innovative programming with a focus on creative, hands-on activities. She uses her experience with a variety of kinds of handiwork to bring fun and engaging activities to participants that give them the opportunity to experiment with new mediums and express themselves creatively!
Daniela uses a person-centered approach to design and implement innovative programming. She uses her work experience as a language instructor to continue bringing academic programming to our participants, such as a brand-new accessible Science program using games, hands-on experiments and more to make learning fun!
Rudy Is currently the Chief Operating Officer of DANI’s Place – a unique housing initiative for persons with cognitive challenges based in Ontario, Canada. His role is to oversee all operations, while creating a strategic growth and implementation plan to ultimately build-out this branch of DANI.
Rudy has been working for both the corporate and the not-for-profit sectors for the past 20 years, establishing himself as an expert in government relations, grant writing and strategic planning. He has had the great honour and pleasure to work with amazing organizations in various business spheres: manufacturing, health technology, medical associations, first nations, social service agencies and with all levels of government and their arms-length partners.
He is most proud of his lovely wife, his three children and cannot forget his dear friend Disco Stu - his bunny.
Francesco uses a person-centered approach to design and implement innovative programming that shares his love of sports with everyone! He uses team activities to foster positive relationships and cooperation among participants in a supportive environment. Francesco also oversees a paid vocational partnership with Stalco, where participants work independently as part-time employees.
Tal started working at DANI in 2010 and has since become an integral part of the organization's journey. Today, as the Chief Operating Officer of DANI, Tal takes charge of various operations and services, as well as organizational development and community partnerships, which drive DANI's growth and enable it to make a significant impact. Tal is a firm believer in the power of inclusion, recognizing that every individual deserves the opportunity to participate, contribute, and be valued. Tal holds an MEd in developmental psychology and education and is currently enrolled in TMU's nonprofit management program.