Registration for the Empower Simcoe 71st Annual General Meeting and Gift of the Heart Awards, taking place Wednesday, September 11th at Liberty North, 100 Caplan Avenue, from 5:00 - 7:00pm, is now open. Please use the link below to register by August 30th, 2024. The Gift of...
Get ready for an incredible week of adventure with Empower Simcoe’s Fee for Service Connect to Adventure Program! Join us August 19th to 26th in Orillia for a journey you won't forget. Explore the stunning biodiversity habitat at the Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve in Washago,...
June 17-21 marks Developmental Service Worker Appreciation Week! Let's take the time to recognize, celebrate, and thank all our essential Empower Simcoe support staff for their resilience, dedication, and commitment to enhancing the lives of the people we support. You've been invaluable to Empower Simcoe on...
June highlights both Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), recognizing the significance of Indigenous history, heritage, resilience, and the diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across our nation. Angelia Brooks, Empower Simcoe’s Indigenous Coordinator, recently joined the Community Support Services Barrie...
The vibrant 'First Steps: Newcomer Parent and Child Programming' at EarlyON Child & Family Centres has officially kicked off, opening doors to a world of opportunities for newcomer families in our community. This exciting initiative, crafted by the minds at CFS Counselling & Wellbeing, CAPC...
Shine on Empower Simcoe! The celebration of Community Living Month 2024 kicked off with a vibrant display of support and solidarity at Empower Simcoe offices in Barrie and Orillia on the evening of May 1st.[vc_row][vc_column width='1/2'] Adorned in the signature blue and green hues representing Community Living,...
This May, light up your world in blue and green to support inclusion and community living. Join us on Wednesday, May 1st, as we participate in Community Living Ontario's Shine a Light on Community Living initiative. Illuminate your home or office in the vibrant colors...
Empower Simcoe is proud to announce the nearing completion and launch of its new Transition Program, a pivotal development designed to support individuals with developmental disabilities. This unfunded, transitional housing initiative aims to provide a nurturing environment that encourages independence through tailored skills development. Located in Orillia,...
Empower Simcoe's recent "Cooking Up Capability" program is making waves by offering culinary classes to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Barrie and Orillia. “Learning basic life skills, like cooking, is essential to fostering independence as an adult,” Empower Simcoe CEO Claudine Cousins said. “It’s magical...
Congratulations to Empower Simcoe artists Raymund Concon and Joel Pisano for sharing their inspiring and creative artwork that graces our 2024 Empower Simcoe Thank You card. According to Raymund, his watercolour painting “The Tree” represents how Empower Simcoe helps people to be the best version of...
The 2023 Empower Simcoe Fashion Show was a spectacular fusion of elegance and inclusivity that brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds to celebrate talent and creativity. Amidst the glitz and glamour, the event served as a powerful platform, not just for fashion but for fostering...
Empower Simcoe, along with other organizations in the Developmental Services (DS) sector, is advocating for sustainable funding for organizations that support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Empower Simcoe CEO Dr. Claudine Cousins recently met with Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey, Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin,...
Welcome to an immersive journey of self-expression through movement, music, and dance! The ‘Ex-press Yourself’ course by Empower Simcoe is a unique blend of melody and motion, designed to unleash your creativity and get you moving in a fun, inclusive environment. Why Join ‘Ex-press Yourself’: Fun...
Empower Simcoe is developing a new communications strategy and we need your input to better understand how you receive information. Aimed at people supported, staff, family members, and community members alike, this survey aims to shape the organization's future communication initiatives. The Communications Committee at Empower...
Calling all Unpaid Caregivers in Simcoe County. The 2024 Respitality Program is open for applications November 27 – December 31, 2023 What is Respitality? Respite + Hospitality = Respitality Empower Simcoe and our business and community partners recognize the significant impact Unpaid Caregivers have in providing exceptional...
Are you currently receiving services from Empower Simcoe and would like to learn more about how to empower your voice and advocate for people with intellectual disabilities? Then the Empower Simcoe Believe In Yourself Committee wants to meet you! Join the Empower Simcoe Believe in Yourself Committee for...
Light It Up! spotlights the many ways people who have a disability contribute to businesses and their communities, helping companies be successful and competitive. Empower Simcoe is thrilled to announce its participation in the nationwide "Light It Up!" campaign in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness...
Our next 70th anniversary Empower Simcoe event is one week away! The Empower Simcoe Celebrity Slo-Pitch game hosted by the Barrie Bay Cats is scheduled for Thursday October 5th. Come out and cheer on some of the Barrie Integrated Baseball League, and Challenger Baseball League All-Stars,...
The 2022-2023 Gift of the Heart Awards were handed out during Empower Simcoe's 70th Annual General Meeting on September 20th. “The Gift of the Heart Awards recognize extraordinary individuals and organizations who have impacted the lives of the people and families supported by Empower Simcoe and...
As part of its 10-point homelessness prevention strategy, the County of Simcoe has partnered with Empower Simcoe to support the region's vulnerable residents with the County's new Community Rent Subsidy Program. Beginning September 1st, this new program will provide rent subsidies for individuals and families...
Get ready to be part of something exceptional! We're thrilled to invite you to the Empower Simcoe 70th Annual General Meeting and the prestigious Gift of the Heart Awards ceremony. Mark your calendar for September 20th, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Liberty North,...
Empower Simcoe's Community Support Services (CSS) is pleased to announce the shift from building based supports to direct community participation and inclusion. This will be achieved by the continued development of cohorts (groups of 3 - 4 people participating in common interests, facilitated by an...
2022 will be a brighter year for caregivers in Simcoe County, thanks to a generous donation from Fern Resort to assist Empower Simcoe in the launch of its pilot Respitality Program. The program, implemented across Simcoe County, will facilitate sustainable relationships within the hospitality and...
We're pleased to have been profiled by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) in regards to our pursuit for inclusion and valued-centered excellence with the people we support. Read about Empower Simcoe's decades-long pursuit to improve the quality of their supports and services. .post_image {display:none!important;}...
Empower Simcoe is a fully accredited charitable, non-profit organization established in 1953 that is funded by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. We provide supports and services to children, teens and adults of all abilities including people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We have...
Missed Empower Simcoe’s Community Living Month Town Hall hosted by our Believe In Yourself Committee? Celebrate the brightest moments from the last year of the people we support at Empower Simcoe, and find out how you can advocate for people of all abilities in our...
[caption id="attachment_13584" align="alignleft" width="150"] Click to enlarge[/caption] Please join us in congratulating Emily Healey. Her Meaningful Life painting "Open Up Your Heart" will grace the cover of this year's Empower Simcoe thank you card. According to Emily, this painting represents caring and love for all. “I love...