2025 Annual Report
Table of Contents
This report showcases our commitment to transparency, impact, and progress. By celebrating achievements, recognizing community strength, and outlining the path forward, we reaffirm our dedication to fostering independence, opportunity, and inclusion for a meaningful future.
A Message from our Executive Director
Vision, Mission, and Values
Board of Directors and Leadership Team
Introduction to the Report
Continued Strategy and Growth
Strong and Sustainable Financial Foundation
2025 Financial Overview
ACE (Abilities, Community, Empowerment) in Review
Vocational Services in Review
Residential Services in Review
Recreational Sunday’s in Review
Social Enterprises in Review
“When I go to DANI... I discover that individuals are capable and see that light in their eyes; they know they are that much more capable. They are that much more enlightened because they’re in the beautiful arms of this fantastic organization.”
-Laura Smith, Member of Provincial Parliament of Ontario
Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Supporters,
I feel the same excitement I felt at the very beginning. In many ways, our story is just getting started. There are more families to reach, more ideas to bring to life, and many more adults who are waiting for the opportunities DANI can provide.
Nearly twenty years ago, Susie Sokol and I sat around my kitchen table with a dream to build a future for our children and others like them. With faith, determination, and the support of a few fellow parents, that dream took root in 2006 when we formally launched DANI. We learned to do everything: accounting, grant writing, program coordinating, and even cooking. We had to; the organization was an extension of our own hands. But something remarkable has happened along the way, and this year I find myself confronting a beautiful problem.
As DANI grew from a kitchen-table idea into a multi-faceted organization, I too, grew as a leader. In truth, learning to lead through others has been one of my greatest personal challenges and rewards. Yet, watching our talented team embrace the vision and make it their own has been nothing short of inspiring. I have learned that “stepping back” from the minutiae does not mean letting go of my vision; instead, it means amplifying that vision through many capable hands.
Today, I preside over DANI not as a lone driver but as a mentor and guide to an extraordinary staff and leadership team who share my passion. We’ve proven we can scale without losing our soul. We can grow without compromising on the person-directed approach that defines us. We’re building systems and structures that will allow us to reach more people, serve them better, and create real change in how the world sees people with developmental disabilities. The result is an organization that stays true to its roots even as it blossoms in ways we never thought possible.
I’ve learned that building an organization is one thing, but building one that can grow beyond you, that can thrive because people believe in the mission and not just because you will it into existence, that’s something else entirely. The team we’ve assembled isn’t made up of people who work for me. They’re people who work with me, and increasingly, beyond me. They have their own relationship with DANI, their own commitment to the people we serve. I can see the care in how they show up. I can see them thinking forward in ways I sometimes still can’t. I’m still learning how to be a leader rather than a doer. Still learning how to trust the plan even when I’m not executing every detail. It’s the only way to truly build something lasting. But when I watch our residents settling in with confidence and joy, when I hear about someone who found employment and is now paying their own way, I know this transition is exactly right.
We remain devoted to the idea that every individual can live a life of meaning, belonging, and contribution. If DANI today is a “model of a truly caring society,” as an MPP recently remarked, it is because of all of you who have believed in us. Together, we have built something enduring and full of soul.
To our donors, partners, and supporters who are with us on this journey, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You gave us the courage to dream bigger, to expand programs, to build new homes, to touch more lives. Each achievement in this Annual Report is your achievement too, born from your generosity and trust.
Thank you for sharing in our vision and celebrating our milestones. As we move forward into this next chapter, I’ve never been more confident about where we’re headed. This organization is strong, our leadership is strong, and our vision is clear. And we’re going to keep pushing forward, keep innovating, keep proving that when you believe in people, remarkable things happen. And I can say with absolute sincerity: I have never been more hopeful about what we will accomplish next.
Kathy Laszlo, Executive Director, DANI & DPRS
“You have this brilliant sort of light shining out of Thornhill that we can tell the entire country about. What you’re doing with so many programs at DANI, is that you’re shining a light for the rest of the country, [and] communities all over the place, as THE example.”
- Melissa Lantsman, Member of Parliament
420+
individuals served annually
87%+
of donations go to the program
180+
volunteer positions created
55
job-ready positions supported
DANI will be a dynamic, proactive, accessible, innovative, and highly collaborative organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities throughout their lifetime ensuring that they each reach their full potential.
Vision
DANI’s mission is to deliver a full continuum of person-directed services - including social, recreational, employment training, social enterprises and residential - to adults with developmental disabilities, incorporating Jewish practices and traditions; and integrating into the community, and its service networks.
Mission
Values
Value the Individual: Every human being is a world unto themselves. We respect and strive to reveal all individuals’ agency and voice. All other values are rooted in this.
Community Integration: We believe that an inclusive society is better for all, and everyone wants to contribute to society in their own way. We facilitate meaningful opportunities for adults with disabilities to integrate into the community, both socially and vocationally.
Innovation: Embracing new ideas and approaches creates valuable growth opportunities. We drive and foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation, ensuring our practices remain current, relevant, and responsive to emerging challenges. This commitment is reflected in regular updates, integrating cutting-edge technologies and methodologies, and launching new initiatives.
Creating a Nurturing Workplace: Our workforce and their needs are deeply valued. We foster an environment of genuine care and support, creating a nurturing atmosphere that makes our workforce and their families feel like part of the whole. This enhances the overall quality and success of our services.
Striving for Excellence: We’re not stuck in old ways. If there’s a better, smarter way to do something, we’re on it.
Board of Directors and Leadership Team
We have reshaped our structure, welcoming accomplished new directors while maintaining the visionary leadership that has guided us since our founding. These changes reflect our strategic evolution and our commitment to bringing fresh perspectives, expanded expertise, and renewed energy to our work.
Formalized Governance Structure
Recognizing the value of shared leadership, the Nominating Committee and the Revenue Generation Committee were established as joint committees, supporting Board development, succession planning, and coordinated fundraising efforts across both organizations.
At the same time, each organization formed its own Strategic Planning Committee, reflecting the distinct mandates and operational realities of DANI and DANI’s Place while maintaining a shared vision and commitment to growth. Both Boards are in the process of scheduling strategic planning sessions for early 2026, which will help set priorities, assess emerging needs, and guide future direction.
Executive Leadership
Our executive team continues to provide the operational and strategic leadership that translates board vision into organizational reality. Kathy Laszlo, our Executive Director and co-founder, remains the heart of our strategic direction, her two decades of expertise in developmental disability services and her recognized leadership in the sector continuing to guide our mission. Tal Bar’s leadership as COO ensures the operational excellence that enables our consistency and quality. Rudy Barell’s appointment as Chief Corporate Officer reflects a shift towards enterprise-driven sustainability, leveraging his expertise to scale our social enterprises. Jordan Goldman’s elevation as Chief Program Officer reflects the critical importance of program leadership. Noah Schwartz, our Director of Strategy and Growth, has established himself as a reliable and insightful leader anchoring our financial infrastructure.
Together, our leadership team represent more than 120 years of combined expertise in program development, operations, business leadership, financial management, real estate, communications, and community engagement. This collective experience, combined with the specialized committee oversight we have established this year, positions us to continue our work with both excellence and integrity.
DANI
Chairman of the Board: Robyn Quint
Treasurer: Peter Fingold
Secretary: Gail Saperia
Board of Directors: Brett Barrett, Lara Dodo, Alina Duviner,Dr. Gerald Friedman, Andrew Laszlo, Chaya Perman
DANI’s Place
Chairman of the Board: Stephen Sender
Treasurer: Peter Fingold
Secretary: Mel Barsky
Board of Directors: Jonathan Fleischer, Erez Henya, Jessica Seidman, Syney Muskat
DANI Board Transformation
DANI’s board has undergone meaningful change this past year. We welcomed three exceptional new directors who bring concentrated expertise in commercial leadership, operational excellence, and strategic communications. Brett Barrett brings two decades of experience scaling organizations in technology and financial services, expertise directly applicable to our expanding social enterprises. Lara Dodo has built high-performance teams across multiple industries and brings deep operational leadership experience. Alina Duviner’s strategic communications expertise and extensive media relationships position us to amplify our mission and engage community support more effectively. These additions strengthen our board’s capacity to govern strategically as we navigate growth and innovation.
Simultaneously, we have adjusted our board composition to focus on the expertise most critical to our current strategic moment. Robyn Quint continues to chair our board, her visionary leadership and pharmaceutical industry experience providing steady direction. Peter Fingold remains our Treasurer, his nearly five decades as a CPA ensuring our financial stewardship remains uncompromising. Gail Saperia has assumed the role of Secretary, bringing her 25 years of healthcare experience and her perspective as a founding parent of DANI, who understands and ensures the original need DANI was created to fill is not lost. Dr. Gerald Friedman and Andrew Laszlo continue as board members, grounding our governance in both clinical expertise and the lived experience of families we serve.
This reshaping of the board represents a deliberate choice to concentrate our governance focus on the expertise needed for this next phase of organizational maturation. Our new directors bring business acumen and strategic growth experience that will strengthen our ability to manage our expanding operations and social enterprises. At the same time, we have maintained the voices and perspectives that remain essential to our mission.
DANI’s Place Residential Support Board
The residential support board has added two significant new voices this year. Jessica Seidman brings social work expertise and extensive experience in non-profit programming and organizational culture. Sydney Muskat adds decades of financial expertise as a senior partner with Harris & Partners LLP and a history of community leadership through the UJA Federation. These additions strengthen the board’s capacity to govern a complex real estate and residential services enterprise while maintaining focus on the lived experience of our residents.
Introduction to the Report
We have not simply grown larger, we have grown stronger, more strategic, and more impactful in ways that exceed even our most optimistic projections. This report tells the story of that growth and the deliberate choices we made to scale responsibly while staying true to our mission.
From Volunteers to a $2.8 Million Organization
The numerical growth of DANI over the past sixteen years, since we opened our first full-scale campus, tells a story of strategic, intentional expansion, but numbers alone cannot capture what those figures represent. In 2009, when we first formalized our operations, we operated on a $220,000 budget with just two full-time employees serving seven day program participants. We were scrappy, passionate, and genuinely uncertain whether this model could be sustained. Today, we manage a remarkable $2.8 million annual budget, a 1,173% increase. This growth supports 34 full-time employees serving 60 ACE program participants, a new residential service, and even more through our two vocational services and recreational program.
By 2015, we had reached a $1.1M budget milestone with 10 full-time employees and 25 participants in our day program. This represented the kind of sustainable growth that allows an organization to invest in infrastructure, to hire good people, and to begin thinking strategically rather than just surviving week to week. Then, during the pandemic in 2020, a time when many non-profits faced significant budget reductions, we crossed the $1.5M threshold, adding 25 full-time employees and expanding our programming to meet increased community need. This was a turning point. We began to see that our model wasn’t just viable; it was essential.
The most recent five years, from 2020 to 2025, have been transformational. DANI grew from $1.5M to $2.8M, an 86% increase in a single five-year period. This is not growth for growth’s sake. Every additional dollar represents a strategic investment in our ability to serve more people with greater quality and deeper sustainability. It reflects our team’s ability to identify funding opportunities, to articulate our impact clearly, and to build relationships with funders who share our vision. It demonstrates that the community believes in what we are doing and is willing to invest substantially in our success.
ACE: Our Flagship Day Service Re-imagined
The growth of ACE since the rebranding has been nothing short of remarkable. In September 2022, as we were implementing this new vision, we were serving 36 participants. By December 2025, we had grown to 60 participants, a 67% increase in just three years. The space we occupy, the staff we employ, and the programming we can deliver have all reached practical limits. This creates both a celebration and a challenge: we are succeeding at our current scale, but we now have waiting lists of families seeking access to ACE. The demand far exceeds our current supply.
Strategic Recommendations Implemented
In January 2023, our Strategic Planning Committee made a comprehensive set of recommendations to guide our growth and development over the following years. As we look back from the vantage point of 2026, we can report substantial progress in implementing those recommendations. This is not to suggest that everything has been fully implemented; some remain works in progress. But we have taken them seriously and have moved significantly on almost all fronts.
Yet we know there is more work to do. Our waiting lists tell us that demand far exceeds our current capacity. Families in our community are seeking services we do not yet offer. Individuals with disabilities are waiting for opportunities we have not yet created. The fact that we are at near capacity in ACE and the Sunday program is not a reason to celebrate; it is a call to action.
Continued Strategy and Growth
Over the past fifteen years, first as a dedicated staff member and now as Chief Operating Officer, I have witnessed DANI transform from a grassroots parent-led dream into a thriving, multifaceted organization that serves our community with remarkable depth and purpose.
From Vision to Scale: Our Foundation
DANI’s story began with parents who believed their children deserved better. Operating from a small house on McAllister Road near Bathurst and Sheppard, we ran a modest weekly program with limited resources and even more limited space. Yet what we lacked in material resources, we possessed in abundance: unwavering vision, fierce determination, and an unshakeable conviction that every individual has inherent worth and capacity. Those early days established what remains the bedrock of DANI today: a commitment to dignity, inclusion, and authentic community belonging.
Building for Impact: Our Evolution
Today, DANI looks very different. The past decade has marked a period of intentional, purposeful growth. In 2013, we moved to our first campus at the Garnett Williams Community Centre on Clark Avenue, a milestone that signalled our readiness to expand our reach. Throughout our growth, we have stayed true to being “parent-led and innovative”, we kept family input at the heart of our planning, ensuring our services always adapt to the real needs and aspirations of the individuals and their support networks; continually adapting our programs to meet emerging needs and pioneering new approaches rather than “doing the same thing” as before. For example, DANI was among the first in our sector to develop an arts-focused communication program for non-verbal clients and to produce feature-length theatrical productions starring our participants.
When 2020 arrived with its unprecedented challenges, rather than retreat, we adapted. We became the first adult disability services organization in the GTA to resume in-person programming during the pandemic, launching our second campus on Magnetic Drive, and demonstrating the resilience, collaboration, and adaptability that define our culture.
Most recently, we established DPRS, our residential arm, culminating in the 2024 opening of a state-of-the-art home where eight individuals now live with agency, connection, and genuine integration within their community. Yet physical expansion tells only part of the story. Our service portfolio has evolved dramatically: our holistic ACE program supports participants in achieving personal goals and meaningful community participation; STEP equips neurodivergent learners with industry-recognized certifications and credentials in technology and hospitality; WorkWise implements our distinctive employment model, helping individuals secure and sustain positions in the competitive job market; and Recreational programming to ensure a well-rounded life. By addressing social inclusion and personal growth alongside vocational and life-skills support, we help each person thrive in all aspects of life.
Enterprises with Purpose
Our social enterprises reflect a parallel evolution in both scale and mindset. What began as a modest cookies and wraps operation has matured into multiple sophisticated, multi-faceted enterprises focused on revenue generation, sustainability, and scalability. Today, DANI’s enterprises include professional catering services, an event centre, a seasonal café, and the opening of our first physical DANI Gifts store.
Renewed Digital Presence
In parallel, we have strengthened how DANI presents itself to the broader community. Our revamped digital presence, including an updated website and expanded social media engagement, reflects the professionalism, quality, and values of our work. We are no longer a hidden gem; we are an organization the community recognizes and trusts.
The Heart of Our Work: People and Values
Behind this growth and evolution lies a steadfast philosophy and core values. We believe deeply in the inherent value of every individual. Our services are strength-based and person-centred, rooted in the understanding that meaningful social connection and genuine community integration are essential to well-being. At DANI, we empower individuals to participate, contribute, and be valued.
We also hold ourselves to a high standard of excellence. DANI aspires to be innovative, reflective, and a true learning organization. We invest significantly in our staff and leadership, fostering professional growth and creating a workplace where people feel genuinely valued, heard, and respected. This investment is central to our ability to deliver high-quality services and to continue evolving responsibly.
The Road Ahead
As we approach DANI’s twentieth anniversary, we do so with a strong reputation earned through consistent, thoughtful service. We are regularly affirmed by the individuals and families who entrust us with their hopes, and we hold that trust as a profound responsibility.
Looking forward, our focus is clear: building capacity, strengthening our foundation, and growing with both intention and integrity. We will continue to ask hard questions, learn from experience, and evolve in ways that serve our mission.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who has made this journey possible. To those of you who are new to DANI, welcome—we are honoured to have you on this path with us. And to those who have walked alongside us from the beginning, thank you for your steadfast belief in what is possible when we commit ourselves to seeing and valuing every person.
What lies ahead is exciting. I cannot wait to continue building it together.
Tal Bar, Chief Operating Officer, DANI
Strong and Sustainable Financial Foundation
No single revenue source is stable indefinitely. By diversifying across individual giving, multiple foundations, government grants, corporate partnerships, social enterprise, and special events, we reduce our vulnerability to any single funder changing their priorities or circumstances.
Matching Campaign: The Heart of Individual Giving
Our annual matching campaign has been the heart of our individual fundraising strategy. Over the four years from 2022 to 2025, our matching campaign generated extraordinary results. In 2022, we raised $482,335 through this mechanism. In 2023, we grew that to $507,948. In 2024, we achieved a significant milestone, reaching $637,449, a 32% increase from the prior year. While 2025 saw a slight decline to $627,821, likely reflecting post-holiday economic patterns and market conditions, the overall trend demonstrates sustained community support.
Major Grants: Strategic Investments in Growth
While individual giving provides a reliable baseline support, major grants from foundations and government agencies have been crucial to our ability to expand programming and build capacity. From 2023 to 2025, we secured an extraordinary series of major grants that have fundamentally transformed our growth trajectory.
In 2023 and 2024, we received two capital grants totalling $215,000 for renovations. This allowed us to create better spaces, expand our capacity, and to create a more professional and welcoming environment for the people we serve.
In 2024, we received a grant from the Sinneave Foundation specifically for WorkWise. This $104,000 grant, distributed over two years, was crucial in allowing us to launch and establish our employment program.
Then, in 2025, we achieved something genuinely transformational. We secured a $466,700 grant from the Azrieli Foundation for ACE and STEP capacity building. In the same year, we also secured a $1.1 million grant from the Jewish Foundation specifically for WorkWise and STEP, distributed over three years.
We also secured a $58,000 grant from the PepsiCo Foundation in 2025, which importantly begins an ongoing relationship with a major corporate funder.
In total, from 2023 through 2025, we secured $1.94 million in new grants. This represents a deliberate, sophisticated approach to grant writing that has involved building relationships with foundations, articulating our impact clearly, and demonstrating our capacity to deliver on ambitious plans. It also represents the remarkable work of our development team, who have taken the time to understand what funders care about, to align our work with their interests, and to tell our story in ways that resonate with their values.
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence
Beyond traditional individual giving and foundation grants, we have pursued innovative fundraising strategies that create engagement while generating revenue. We also developed a micro-grant writing program that leverages AI tools to help us identify and apply for smaller grants that might not justify our investment of time if done manually.
Gift Retail Business: Expanding Our Footprint
In 2024, we undertook the strategic expansion of our holiday gift retail business into a year-round full-service gifting. Across all venues, we have grown our gross income over three years by 20%. Though social enterprise revenue is not dramatic compared to the growth we have achieved in other areas, it is significant because it represents steady, sustainable expansion in a competitive retail environment. [Read more on page 24]
2025 Financial Overview
We created a revenue-generating committee and strengthened our financial position with total revenue up 18% to $3.3M, supported by consistent donations and grants surging 349% from $0.24M to $1.06M, enabling expanded programs and sustained long-term community impact.
Revenue
Donations: $946,361
Grants: $1,062,605
Social Enterprises: $280,633
Program Fees: $1,007,887
Total: $3,297,486
Expenses
Direct Program Delivery: $2,520,056
Overhead: $363,445
Total: $2,883,501
Expenses
Direct Program Delivery: $2,520,056
Overhead: $363,445
Total: $2,883,501
ACE (Abilities, Community, Empowerment) in Review
A constant evolution offering dynamic experiences rooted in both person-directed and person-centred planning, creativity, cultural connection, and meaningful engagement. Participants explored interests, built skills, and formed relationships through individualized and community-based opportunities.
Person Centred, Person Directed
Participants work collaboratively with staff to establish personal development objectives that drive their daily experiences. Every aspect of programming responds to these individually defined goals. Daily structure integrates classroom learning with hands-on skill application, creative outlets, physical activity, and authentic experiences in the broader community.
Participants move through varied activities that build practical capabilities while fostering social connections and personal confidence. This approach emphasizes choice, allowing individuals to pursue areas aligned with their aspirations.
Staff facilitate growth across multiple domains. Communication strategies help participants express needs and build relationships. Financial literacy programming develops budgeting and money management capabilities. Navigation training builds confidence moving through community spaces independently.
Goals Set, Goals Achieved - 167 Of Them!
ACE participants demonstrated significant growth in independence, leadership, and self-advocacy throughout the year. Internal assessments reveal over 90% of participants succeeded or exceeded collaboratively established goals, validating that our approach produces measurable progress.
Tracking documents specify several capability gains: individuals who initially struggled with schedule adherence now manage their own time, participants who required constant support for social interactions now initiate peer connections independently, participants are becoming comfortable with self-advocacy and asserting their thoughts and desires, and those with difficulty navigating local environments now do so confidently.
Self Advocacy Thrives at DANI
A self-formed group of participants, feeling that there wasn’t a particular program that met certain aspects of their specific needs, formed their own committee, developing activity plans, budgets, and evaluation guidelines, and formally presenting their ideas to campus leadership. This program has been initiated, with plans on expanding in the coming years.
Another group attended a municipal fundraising event where they represented themselves and DANI, demonstrating confidence in speaking about their experiences and advocating for expanded inclusion in the community, resulting in a record-breaking amount raised at this annual event.
New Program Offerings
ACE also broadened its programming with new offerings in Animation and 3D Printing, as well as a strengthened emphasis on healthy living. Participants had access to expanded outdoor recreation, adapted fitness, hiking, and sports programs that promoted wellness and independence, reflecting an ACE-wide initiative to focus on physical health and individual fitness goals.
A True Community-Based Initiative
Beyond our campuses, participants engage at external partner sites where they contribute meaningfully to community organizations. These authentic roles provide practical experience applying developing capabilities in real workplace and volunteer settings.
Community inclusion remained central to ACE, with new and renewed partnerships throughout 2025. Participants expanded their roles at Humanity First and the Toronto Wildlife Centre, and deepened volunteer involvement with One Kenton and Bikur Cholim. The annual theatre production continued to be a defining highlight of the year, with Fiddler on the Roof drawing the largest audience in our history. With over 400 tickets sold and the largest cast to date, the production showcased the creativity, teamwork, and confidence that define the program.
New Partnerships
Educational partnerships continued to flourish in 2025. DANI strengthened professional development through collaborations with disability sector leaders, Reena, Beit Issie Shapiro, and the Kayla’s Children Centre, providing staff with targeted training in aging, self-regulation, mental health, and mobility support. New creative programming partnerships also emerged, including a collaboration with Vaughan Public Libraries.
Student Placement Growth
Student placements have moved beyond the ACE program, now permeated throughout all our initiatives with a newly established dedicated department. DANI hosted twenty-seven college and university students in 2025.
12.5%
more participants
90%
goal success
27
placements
1300
hours of staff training
15%
more staff
7
new programs
Vocational Services in Review
Building capacity through new pathways and partnerships, DANI advanced its vocational continuum in 2025 by expanding supports, strengthening infrastructure, and introducing new programs that empower neurodivergent adults to achieve meaningful and lasting employment.
Expanding Pathways to Employment
With our broader vocational initiatives and over a year of WorkWise, we have solidified and expanded our collaboration with employers, business improvement associations, chambers of commerce, and employment service providers. Employers rely on us to identify strong candidates, provide on-site coaching, and advise on inclusive practices. Employment agencies and community colleges refer individuals to us when they recognize that a person needs a more intensive, tailored pathway than generic job search support can offer. In this way, we do not compete with other services; we complement them by filling a highly specialized role as a bridge between neurodivergent job seekers and employee retention, simultaneously addressing broader workforce shortages and reducing economic and social reliance on public support systems.
In 2025, we invested in the successful employment model by hiring additional dedicated staff for WorkWise. These roles enhance individualized support and increase outreach to employers. The impact of these positions has been wide-reaching, resulting in direct access to job counselling, job development, job coaching, employer recruitment, and sustained support for employers through tailored accommodations. This investment led to new partnerships with employers, broadening the scope of opportunities, and significantly advanced our capacity, enabling a higher level of tailored job preparation and placement.
Introducing the Skills Training Employment Program
Building on our philosophy of creating a full continuum of services to serve as much of the spectrum of neurodiverse and divergent adults, we launched the Skills Training Employment Program (STEP). STEP is designed to meet an unmet need in job-ready skill development. It strategically equips neurodiverse and divergent adults with essential skills for successful integration into high-demand sectors. In our first year, we offered two distinct streams that students could enrol in: technology and hospitality. The structured 13-week program delivered practical, hands-on instruction in small classes to ensure personalized learning experiences. Courses are held in the evenings to accommodate daytime commitments while optimizing our facility usage and operational efficiency.
In the technology stream, students receive recognized credentials in digital competencies such as Google Workspace, Python programming, AI prompt engineering, and graphic design essentials.
The Hospitality stream is delivered in partnership with the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) to create valuable opportunities, providing industry-recognized certifications and leveraging their extensive professional network and resources.
STEP actively removes traditional employment barriers by providing specialized curricula developed specifically for neurodiverse learners. Its effectiveness stems from strong industry partnerships that ensure training aligns precisely with current market demands. Regular consultation with leading organizations in both hospitality and technology sectors keeps our curriculum current and relevant.
Upon completion, graduates possess immediately marketable skills, significantly enhancing their employability and readiness for direct job placements. For those requiring additional support, such as job placement assistance or individualized coaching, STEP acts as a bridge to WorkWise upon course completion.
Through strategic partnerships, STEP eliminates financial and technological barriers, making professional training accessible and affordable. This level of resource-sharing enhances program sustainability, enabling continuous updates and expansion of the curriculum as market demands evolve. The Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN) and The Thornhill Employment Hub complete our partnership network to ensure success.
Partnership with TDSB
We launched a new initiative with the Toronto District School Board to develop a vocational training placement model for neurodivergent high school students, creating early pathways to employment and life skills development.
Inclusive Hiring Award Created
DANI has become a recognized industry leader with our inclusive employment and support model, WorkWise. To reflect employer impact and commitment to inclusive hiring, we developed an award. O’Doughs, a long-standing inclusive employer, received our first-ever award, a DANI Partnership Badge for their ongoing commitment to hiring through WorkWise.
“The opportunity to employ DANI participants has been inspiring for our entire team. We see first-hand the dedication and reliability they bring to the workplace.”
— Lance and Jeff, Dignity Transportation
167%
more partners
700+
coaching hours
90%
certification rate
Residential Services in Review
In 2025, DPRS translated its innovative vision into on-the-ground action. Our person-centred approach set out to improve each resident’s independence, well-being, and community involvement, and we can proudly report that residents appear happier, more confident, and are proud of their growing independence.
We Built a House and Created a Home
From a philosophical and visionary perspective, we sought to create an inclusive experience that was intended to ensure that residents shared the same sense of pride in ownership and lived by the same standards of beauty and comfort that anyone would aspire to.
Upon finalizing the design and commencing construction of our first residence, our primary concern was that the aesthetic appeal of this unique home for persons with disabilities might overshadow the warmth, familiarity and genuine sense of belonging we aspired to foster for the residents. When we opened our doors, our focus was solely on one question: had we created a home?
What we discovered was greater than a home-like atmosphere; it was home itself. Not only for residents, their families and caregivers, but also for the personal support workers, development support workers, house coordinators, directors and the administrative team who support the work daily.
This residence reflects a long-held commitment to safe, dignified, person-centred support for people with developmental disabilities. Over a decade ago, that commitment became the core of our strategic vision, and it guided every decision in design and operations. After one full year in operation, we can report that the model is working as intended. The design choices hold up in daily practice, and the program is being delivered with consistency.
Refined and Enhanced Program Offerings
As an option, all residents can attend our ACE program Monday through Friday, which allows us to keep the program and residence operating as a single, integrated experience that actively supports the rhythm of daily life. Programming in our homes differentiates itself with a relaxed, relationship-based home environment with a vibrant schedule of active and engaging group activities.
Residents can use the gym for consistent physical activity, access the library for quiet reflection, and gather in the expansive living room for community programming that naturally includes friends, family and visitors. This same relaxed, relationship-based home environment continues into the evenings, when shared spaces host quiet group games, cooking classes, exercise sessions and other social activities. Participation is always optional, yet it is rarely resisted, in part because facilitators remain attentive, highly engaged and deeply connected to each resident.
Weekend Volunteer Programming
A key element of this year’s expansion strategy was the launch of our Strategic Weekend Engagement Program, a scalable volunteer model designed to drive operational excellence and competitive differentiation. The program deploys dedicated volunteers for 24-hour immersive periods (Friday-Saturday evenings), creating specialized cultural programming tracks that complement our core service delivery. This strategic separation of functions enables our clinical teams to maintain optimal staff ratios and service quality throughout weekend operations. Our volunteer pipeline consists primarily of industry professionals with established resident relationships and community leaders committed to advancing social integration frameworks. Early performance metrics indicate this initiative has established new industry benchmarks and positioned DPRS as a thought leader in innovative care delivery models.
Organizational Capacity Building
To support sustained growth and operational scalability, we implemented a strategic reorganization that created a dedicated senior leadership position with comprehensive oversight of workforce planning, facilities operations, and risk management. This executive-level restructuring has proven instrumental in driving operational excellence. By elevating strategic coordination functions and enabling front-line leadership to concentrate on service delivery optimization and program innovation, we’ve achieved measurable improvements in resident experience metrics and operational consistency. This organizational architecture has strengthened our competitive position and created a replicable model for future expansion across the sector.
Support From Three Levels of Government
MP Melissa Lantsman, MPP Laura Smith, and Mayor Del Duca of Vaughan attended our inaugural Donor Appreciation Event. During this visit, Mayor Del Duca presented a $10,000 contribution through his Spirit of Giving Fund, further demonstrating the growing recognition of our value to the community.
“About three months ago, I had my first opportunity to come and see this space…As soon as you walk in the front door, [you] feel it. It is very warm; it is very inviting. That speaks volumes about how much they love being here, and how much you’ve created that sense of family and that sense of belonging, to help them and support them in every way.”
– Steven Del Duca, Mayor of Vaughan
$.2M
endowment fund
47
community events
25%
below budget
520
respite days provided
Recreational Sundays
A staple program returned to meet the profound human need for joy, friendship, and social connection without the expectations of skill development or therapeutic progress. A weekly refuge where participants enjoy genuine leisure and build meaningful relationships in a warm, accepting community of peers.
Why Fun Matters
Adults with developmental disabilities, neurodiversity, autism, and intellectual disabilities benefit from intentional breaks from structured training and goal-driven programming. This program addresses a critical but often overlooked dimension of well-being: the psychological need for rest, recreation, and purely social engagement. Enjoyable leisure activities serve as both breathers that provide respite from stress and restorers that replenish depleted emotional and social resources. Without such breaks, individuals engaged in continuous skill-building and vocational training risk experiencing fatigue and reduced motivation.
The Sunday Program operates on the understanding that a meaningful life encompasses more than achievement and productivity. It provides a welcoming recreational experience for adults aged sixteen and older, centred on fun, friendship, and the joy of shared experiences within a warm, family-like atmosphere. Every week brings new opportunities for social connection and adventure, strengthening bonds between individuals. Participants engage in creative expression and meaningful activities that support social growth and build confidence.
Addressing the Social Isolation and Friendship Gap
Autistic and neurodivergent adults experience elevated rates of loneliness and social isolation despite often desiring meaningful friendships. While many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities participate in various community activities, these interactions frequently do not translate into genuine friendship or deep social connections. The double empathy problem recognizes that social difficulties in interactions are bidirectional rather than one-sided, suggesting that neurodivergent individuals thrive when they connect with others who share similar communication styles, interests, and ways of experiencing the world. The Sunday Program directly addresses this gap by creating intentional space for social connection without the pressure of skill-building or performance. In a safe, accepting environment where all participants are navigating similar social experiences, individuals practice relationship-building in a low-stakes setting where authentic connection is the sole objective.
Fun activities, when delivered in supportive group settings with skilled facilitation, significantly enhance social confidence and peer interaction, particularly for individuals who feel emotionally unsafe or misunderstood in mainstream social contexts. For many participants, the Sunday Program has become the primary context in which they experience genuine peer friendship, unmediated by staff goals or other objectives.
Staff-Led Programming and Creative Expression
The Sunday Program’s strength lies in its flexible, staff-driven programming model. Staff play a central role in shaping the experience, frequently designing and leading their own imaginative and original programming tailored to the group. In-centre programming has been strengthened with contributions from professional chefs, local artists, and DrumFit specialists who support social connection, creativity, and personal development.
Differentiation from ACE
A professional chef leading a cooking activity in the Sunday Program context creates something quite different from the same activity in ACE, where cooking is connected to independent living goals. Here, cooking becomes an experience of creativity and sensory pleasure. Local artists and musicians contribute their talents not to teach specific skills but to invite participants into the joy of creative expression. DrumFit specialists bring the energizing power of rhythm and movement, activities that participants engage in purely for the embodied pleasure they provide.
Growing Participation and Community Partnerships
Participation has grown by 100% over three years demonstrating that families and individuals recognize the distinctive value the program provides. Programming has expanded through partnerships with the National Council of Jewish Women, Jewish Russian Community Centre, and local synagogues. These partnerships integrate cultural and spiritual dimensions that deepen meaning for participants while connecting DANI more broadly to the Jewish community.
New Experiences
Recreational offerings have included Reptilia, Dog Tales, the Toronto Zoo, and Bico Pottery Studio, providing diverse community-based experiences that broaden horizons and create memorable moments of joy. Each of these community partnerships was deliberately chosen to offer experiences that are genuinely enjoyable and culturally enriching. Reptilia delighted participants who might not otherwise encounter such animals. Dog Tales provides the therapeutic benefits of animal interaction in a recreational rather than clinical context. The Toronto Zoo offers large-scale, sensory-rich experiences that many participants find exhilarating and memory-forming. Bico Pottery Studio invited participants to create with their hands and take home tangible proof of their creativity.
Opening Our First Physical Gift Store
Building on last year’s momentum of year-round gifting, 2025 marked another significant milestone with the opening of our first brick-and-mortar Gift Store. This new physical location has greatly increased our visibility and accessibility, drawing customers from new communities and creating a vibrant hub for year-round shopping. The expanded space, as well as our online store, has allowed us to showcase a wider range of products, including participant-created artwork, hand-crafted gifts, and specialty items that highlight our commitment to creativity, inclusion, and social impact.
A Mixed Year for Catering, Café, and Venue
Revenue from the Catering and Event Centre declined by 56% compared to the previous year. This decrease aligns with broader economic conditions that affected the hospitality and events sector throughout the year. Rising costs, reduced discretionary spending, and tighter corporate and household budgets led many organizations and families to postpone, scale back, or cancel catered events and venue bookings. These sector-wide challenges had a direct impact on catering orders and event rentals.
While overall revenue declined, the Catering and Event Centre continue to be a strategically important asset for DANI, still showing areas of notable successes, and providing infrastructure and capacity that position us well for future growth as market conditions improve.
The 9 Day Café was a strong highlight in 2025. Across five dinners and six lunches, the café generated $27,529 in sales, welcomed over 700 guests, and served 1,557 food and beverage items. Attendance and community response were consistently positive, demonstrating strong demand for welcoming, high-quality dining experiences in a community-focused setting.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, DANI is taking deliberate steps to strengthen this area of operations. In late 2025, we strengthened our capacity and created a dedicated marketing department, marking an important investment in increasing visibility, bookings, and overall revenue of both the social enterprises and the organization at large.
In 2026, we plan to launch a highly focused and aggressive marketing campaign aimed at expanding catering sales, increasing event bookings, and maximizing use of the Event Centre and Patio Café.
Dedicated Social Enterprise Social Media Channels
Our social enterprises are purposefully diversified, each serving distinct market segments and customer needs. However, this diversity created a strategic tension: on a single organizational channel, our social media presence had to balance messaging between commercial enterprises and charitable programming. Inevitably, organizational priorities meant that enterprise marketing took a back seat, limiting our ability to build dedicated audiences and compete effectively in the marketplace.
Recognizing this gap, we made a deliberate decision in 2024. Alongside launching our redesigned organizational website, we created standalone digital properties for each social enterprise. In 2025, we took this strategy further by launching dedicated social media platforms, giving DANI Gifts and DANI Café & Catering their own distinct voices, audiences, and growth trajectories.
Our early content strategy is resonating beyond our existing audience: one of our initial posts achieved over 12,000 views, with 88% of that engagement coming from people who do not currently follow us - a clear indicator that quality, authentic content can break through and reach new customers organically.
This strategic shift has accomplished what we intended: our enterprises now have the dedicated space and focus they need to build their own communities, tell their stories, and compete effectively in the marketplace. More importantly, it has freed our organizational channels to focus more purely on our mission-driven work, creating clearer communication pathways for all stakeholders
194K
social media views
100%
post interaction growth
P75
in followers
Social Enterprises in Review
The embodiment of our core value of “a hand up, not a handout,” these ventures generate income while providing employment and skill-building opportunities for neurodiverse individuals. Our commitment to expansion enhances self-sufficiency, financial resilience, and long-term sustainability.