In 1992, the UN declared December 3 to be the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the aim of promoting an understanding of, increasing awareness for, and building support for issues surrounding persons with disabilities.
December 3, 2013 is also the first time that Giving Tuesday is coming to Canada! Giving Tuesday is a movement created in the United States to build community and support charities during the busy holiday season. Giving Tuesday follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday; and what better way to follow two days that benefit the economy than a day to benefit the community?
Not only is this a great way to kick-off the giving season, it is also an opportunity for all of us to redirect our focus during the busy month of December. This Tuesday, we encourage you to make a difference to an organization that is important to you, whether that be through a donation of time, money, or goods.
As previously mentioned, this Tuesday will also be the 21st annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year, the DDRC is raising funds to help launch the Saturday Children’s Learning Program: a program to offer assistance, resources, and natural supports to children with developmental disabilities, as well as a time of respite for their families. The program will aim to improve co-operation skills, gross and fine motor skills, and the comfort of being in a group setting. These skills are essential to a child’s development and ability to participate in his or her home, school, and community. At the DDRC, we believe that people with developmental disabilities who receive this support in childhood will be more involved in their communities as adults.
For the past ten years, the DDRC has operated under the vision that everyone belongs™. Help us make Calgary a city where everyone’s abilities are nurtured and potential is developed, so that together we will make our communities more vibrant, healthy, safe, and strong. Please consider supporting a child with a developmental disability for Giving Tuesday and get the 2013 holiday season started on the right foot!
