The Disability Foundation of Vancouver and Its Societies
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 1 Mar 2010 - Updated: 13 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Informative
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This information describes the Disability Foundation of Vancouver, a Canadian charity founded in the late 1980s by Sam Sullivan, who became quadriplegic after a skiing accident at nineteen and later served as Mayor of Vancouver. Since its beginnings the Foundation has raised more than twenty million dollars and improved quality of life opportunities for over ten thousand people who experience significant disabilities, working through six affiliated non-profit societies that focus on leisure, mobility, and custom assistive devices. Its programs matter to people with disabilities, their families, and community organizers because they reduce physical and social barriers and open access to sailing, wilderness trails, music, gardening, employment connections, and volunteer built devices. The account is useful and authoritative because it documents concrete results and recognized honors, including Sullivan's investiture into the Order of Canada in 2005, giving seniors and people with disabilities a clear picture of the practical support and civic involvement these organizations make possible.
At a Glance
- 1 - The Vancouver Adapted Music Society runs a studio in the GF Strong Rehab Center. It has introduced hundreds of people with disabilities to music.
- 2 - The Tetra Society recruits volunteers with technical skills to build custom assistive devices. Its volunteers have created more than five thousand devices across North America.
- 3 - The Disabled Sailing Association has prompted twenty sailing programs throughout North America. It operates one hundred and forty specially designed sip-and-puff sixteen-foot sailboats used worldwide.
- 4 - The BC Mobility Opportunities Society runs a Wilderness Access Program with fifty TrailRiders used across North America. These devices have helped members climb Mount Kilimanjaro and reach the base camp of Mount Everest.
Topic Definition
- Disability Foundation
The Disability Foundation is a Vancouver based Canadian charitable organization established in the late 1980s by Sam Sullivan to expand opportunities for people who live with significant disabilities. Rather than operating as a single program, it functions as an umbrella that supports six affiliated non-profit societies, each with its own newsletter and focus, spanning adapted sailing, wilderness mobility, adapted music, community gardening, volunteer engineered assistive devices, and connections to employment and social life. Its purpose is to remove the physical and social barriers that limit participation in everyday living, and its reach extends across Canada and into other parts of North America and the wider world, reflecting a belief that full involvement in life and community should be available to everyone regardless of impairment.
Overview
The Disability Foundation, along with its affiliated organizations, were founded by Sam Sullivan after he experienced quadriplegia due to a skiing accident at age nineteen. Several years later, Mr. Sullivan became the Mayor of Vancouver and received international attention after waving both the Paralympic and Olympic flags during the closing ceremonies at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. His actions have shown the entire world what people with disabilities have the ability to do once physical barriers in the landscape have been overcome. What possible better qualification could there be to present the face of the Paralympics.
The message is one of hope, and it is central to the organizations that Mr. Sullivan has formed. There are a number of organizations that are affiliated with The Disability Foundation of Vancouver. The Tetra Society recruits volunteers with technical skills - these volunteers have created greater than five-thousand custom made assistive devices for people with disabilities throughout locations in North America. ConnecTra Society, another organization affiliated with The Disability Foundation, has connected in excess of a thousand people who experience a form of disability with volunteer positions, social opportunities, part-time and full-time employment. The Disabled Sailing Association has prompted the formation of twenty different sailing programs throughout North America. It has one-hundred and forty specially-designed sip-and-puff sixteen-foot sailboats that are currently being used across the world today.
The BC Mobility Opportunity Society's Wilderness Access Program has fifty of their, 'TrailRiders,' that are being used in programs across North America. These TrailRiders have enabled some of the program's members to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as to the base camp of Mount Everest. Vancouver Adapted Music Society operates a music studio in the GF Strong Rehab Center that has introduced hundreds of people with disabilities to music. The Disabled Independent Gardeners Association has two community gardens; they have workshops on a consistent basis for people with disabilities.
In other words, The Disability Foundation is deeply involved in serving people with disabilities and making sure that opportunity for involvement in life and living exists. From the beginning of its operations in the late 1980's, the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation has raised greater than twenty-million dollars, as well as improving the quality of life opportunities, for greater than ten-thousand people who experience significant forms of disabilities. The Foundation currently supports six different non-profit organizations, as well as a number of other initiatives. Every one of them provides services to people with disabilities across the nation of Canada and beyond. In recognition of his exemplary service to people with disabilities, Mr. Sullivan was invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 2005. He has received the Terry Fox Award, as well as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award, and a number of other honors.
The Disability Foundation is comprised of six different affiliated societies. Together, these societies offer a number of different services for people who experience significant disabilities, and are centered around leisure. The services also include providing custom assistive devices. Each of these societies has its own newsletter.
- Take a Hike: BC Mobility Opportunities Society
- The Link: ConnecTra Society
- Grow with DIGA: Disabled Independent Gardeners Association
- Setting Sail: Disabled Sailing Association of BC
- Gizmo: Tetra Society of North America
- Sounds: Vancouver Adapted Music Society
The Disability Caucus
The Concept for creating a Disability Caucus in relation to The Disability Foundation happened as a result of a meeting between Congressman Jim Langevin of Rhode Island and then Mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan. Both experience quadriplegia, and both agreed that a forum might bring politicians with disabilities together in a useful way. The goals of the Disability Caucus are to encourage more people with disabilities to enter public office, and to provide a forum for the discussion of disability issues.
At the first inaugural meeting of the Disability Caucus, the members recognized that people with disabilities were experiencing the same kinds of issues in both Canada and America. Along with Sam Sullivan and Jim Langevin were a number of other founding members: Steven Fletcher, Federal Member of Parliament, Winnipeg; Tim Louis, City Councilor, Vancouver, Canada; and Representative Tom Kennedy, Massachusetts Legislature.
In several communities throughout North America, people with disabilities are effective in lobbying efforts for societies that are more inclusive via advocacy organizations and personal initiative. People with disabilities are also taking part in civil service in a number of governments. The roles we are filling are helping to improve the lives of everyone with a disability. The Disability Caucus believes that more people with disabilities need to take a place in both seeking and attaining public offices. Doing so is an important symbol of the full participation of people with disabilities in community life; it goes a long way towards ensuring that disability issues receive the attention they deserve from political leaders.
The position of, 'Politician,' is one of the few professions that has no formal academic requirements. One of the most important indicators of the ability to succeed as a politician is a history of community service. People with disabilities who are serious about collective political life need to involve themselves in their particular community in a number of different ways. They need to contribute to the disability community through volunteering for advocacy groups - it is an excellent way to begin community service. People with disabilities who are aspiring candidates should also realize that they need to broaden their knowledge and constituencies through serving in communities outside of the disability community. Each of their efforts should be made to expand their knowledge of a wide-variety of disciplines - such as sociology, economics, philosophy, psychology, as well as history.
Everyone is not suited for elected public office because of the many elements that are essential, which change from election to election. There are; however, certain attributes that are useful for people who are interested in serving through public office.
Questions to Ask Yourself If You Are Interested Include
- Are you able to work well with people?
- Can you inspire others to work toward a common goal?
- Do you have a constituency of people who believe in you and respect your motivations and capabilities?
In the majority of jurisdictions, political office is determined through political parties. Politicians seeking office should choose the party that represents their ideals the best, volunteering for that party in some way. Through involvement in political organizations during an election time, an aspiring politician can learn a great deal, as well as establish relationships which may become useful at a later time. While only a few people involved in any particular party will go on to become a candidate, involvement in the political process can be highly rewarding. The experience of being involved in the political process can give citizens a better understanding of how their government works, as well as access to a network of people who are involved in their community.
The Disability Caucus at The Disability Foundation wants to know if you are a person with a disability who is interested in politics. If you are interested in running for office and have any questions for members of the Disability Caucus, they would be pleased to receive a note bio, or resume from you. One of their members will attempt to respond to you as quickly as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Disability Foundation of Vancouver established
It began operations in the late 1980s and was founded by Sam Sullivan, who later became Mayor of Vancouver.
What are the six affiliated societies of the Foundation
They are the BC Mobility Opportunities Society, ConnecTra Society, Disabled Independent Gardeners Association, Disabled Sailing Association of BC, Tetra Society of North America, and Vancouver Adapted Music Society.
What is a sip-and-puff sailboat
It is an adapted sailboat controlled by breath, letting a sailor steer and trim sails by sipping or puffing on a tube, so people with limited mobility can sail independently.
What is a TrailRider
It is a single wheeled adapted device that allows a person with a disability to be carried over rugged terrain with the help of volunteers, opening access to trails and wilderness.
Does each affiliated society publish a newsletter
Yes, each of the six societies produces its own newsletter, such as Take a Hike, The Link, Grow with DIGA, Setting Sail, Gizmo, and Sounds.
How can a person with a disability get involved with the Disability Caucus
Those interested in running for office can send a short bio or resume to Caucus members, and one of them will try to respond as quickly as possible.
What honors has Sam Sullivan received
He was invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 2005 and has received the Terry Fox Award and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Award, among others.
Who were the founding members of the Disability Caucus
Founding members included Sam Sullivan, Jim Langevin, Steven Fletcher, Tim Louis, and Tom Kennedy.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: Beyond its recreation and assistive device work, the Foundation gave rise to the Disability Caucus, an idea born from a meeting between Sam Sullivan and Congressman Jim Langevin of Rhode Island, both of whom live with quadriplegia and both of whom saw value in a forum that brings politicians with disabilities together across the Canada and United States border. The Caucus encourages more people with disabilities to seek and hold public office, noting that politics is one of the few professions with no formal academic requirement and that a record of community service, volunteering, and broad knowledge across fields such as economics, sociology, and history matters more than credentials. This carries weight for anyone in the disability community weighing a path into civic leadership, since visible representation helps ensure disability issues receive attention from decision makers, and the Caucus openly invites interested candidates to send a short bio or resume to its members.
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability, a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.