easter seals canada - 2008/2009 annual report

Annual Report08/09

Message from the Chair of the Board and Chief Executive OfficerSince 1922, Easter Seals has worked directly with people living with disabilities and their families and

has become one of Canada’s largest and most trusted service providers, enabling people to make better

lives for themselves and the people they care for. With our provincial members, Easter Seals now

provides services to 106,000 Canadians with disabilities and their families. Over the years Easter Seals

has learned to adapt to change, to be innovative, responsive and resilient. These qualities make Easter

Seals uniquely positioned to prosper in difficult times and it will bode well for our efforts to expand our

capabilities and service resources over the next decade.

2008 is recognized as the year of the financial meltdown, a year of immense challenge for many not-for-

profit groups in Canada. Easter Seals Canada is pleased to report that our efforts to rebuild awareness

and to build on our new links with Easter Seals US have paid off and we had our most successful

year ever. National Corporate Fundraising and Disbursements to Licensed members were both up by

47% over 2007. For the past couple of years, we have been rebuilding recognition of the Easter Seals

organization across Canada and working hard to turn that recognition into increased funding for our

member organizations in each province. This strategy is beginning to work at a crucial time for members.

This year, Easter Seals developed a formal relationship with Easter Seals, Inc. of the United States for

the purpose of sharing knowledge, training opportunities, working together on international activities, and

securing new corporate sponsorships. As expected the new relationship has brought some significant

benefits. Our first major initiative was to work together to engage Canada Safeway in new major

partnership in Western Canada similar to their program in the United States. In the first year, this new

initiative raised $743,000 to help send Easter Seals kids to camp. Thank you Canada Safeway.

Our Board and provincial members continue to be committed to rolling out a strong program to build

awareness of Easter Seals services and to expand on the numbers of individuals and families that we

reach. Our most significant effort in this area over the past four years has been the Access 2 program

that has issued over 32,000 Access 2 Entertainment cards to persons with disabilities, providing

opportunities to get out to major entertainment venues such as movie theatres, museums, galleries, and

sporting events. In addition the Easter Seals Travel Card program supports another 4,000 individuals.

Easter Seals Canada, our provincial members and donors and supporters all across Canada collectively

make a difference in the lives of individuals living with a disability.

Bob Steeves Max Beck

Chair, Easter Seals Canada CEO, Easter Seals Canada

Easter Seals Annual Report 08/09 1

Our Vision and MandateWith a Canada-wide reach and trusted role in grass roots service delivery, Easter Seals brings

independence, access and improved active living to more than 106,000 people.

Active Living Our best known services are Easter Seals camping and recreational programs. They take many forms,

including sports and fitness activities, socialization and after-school programs, day camp and residential

camp. Easter Seals is Canada’s largest provider of camping and recreational services for children and

adults with disabilities.

Easter Seals operates 22 Camps across Canada and serve over 6,000 campers annually.

Activities include but are not limited to multi-day hikes, water polo, canoeing, swimming, sailing, a

climbing wall, high ropes, sledge hockey, wheelchair basketball, water balloon wars and leadership

training.

We provide safe, fun activities with the focus on expanding abilities and building confidence.

Assistive Technologies Full access for people with disabilities requires highly specialized equipment and mobility supports

– wheelchairs, prosthetics, computers, assistive devices – that are costly and in constant need of

upgrading. This places an incredible burden on families. Easter Seals provides much needed support

where Provincial Government funding agencies, insurance companies and other family resources leave off.

Easter Seals Grants support the provision of:

Mobility Aids such as Wheelchairs and Walkers•

Orthotics & Prosthetics such as Braces and Splints•

Communication Devices such as Computers and Assistive Technology for children who cannot speak•

Accessibility Aids such as Ramps, Porch Lifts, Van Lifts and Van Tie Downs•

Bath/Toilet Aids such as Shower Chair, Bath Chair and Bathroom Grab Bars•

Patient Care supports such as Therapeutic Equipment and Prosthetics •

Transportation and Accommodation for families who may need to travel out of town for their child’s •

medical care.


Our Pride in Our Corporate PartnersEaster Seals takes great pride in the partnerships we’ve formed with organizations in both the public and

private sectors. In many cases, they are strong working relationships that have turned into true friendships.

Last year we announced an exciting partnership with Canada Safeway to support our Send A Kid to

Camp this Summer campaign, with over $743,000 raised in four weeks.

We’ve found additional support and funding though retail partners including Sobeys West, Lawton Drugs

and The Bargain Shop. Other annual fundraising events have been generously supported by Money Mart,

Century 21, Amway, Cineplex Entertainment and others.

National Fundraising Events

Lindt & Sprüngli and Metro Inc. As two of our newest corporate partners, Lindt & Sprüngli and Metro Inc. have come on board to support

Easter Seals through an in-store Easter Chocolate bunny campaign. A percentage of the Easter bunny

retail costs from January through to the end of March was donated to support camping and recreational

services for children and adults with disabilities. The campaign was piloted in Ontario and Quebec in over

700 Metro Inc. stores.

Safeway

One of the largest food and drug retailers in North America became an Easter Seals stakeholder during

the inaugural Send A Kid to Camp this Summer campaign for four weeks during March and April of 2008.

Easter Seals was overwhelmed by the hard work and dedication of Safeway employees situated in 212

stores across western Canada who raised an amazing $743,000. As Safeway expands across the more

and more children and adults with disabilities are benefiting from their generosity and willingness to

giving back and supporting the communities in which they do business.

4 Easter Seals Annual Report 08/09

Drop Zone – the first event of its kind in North America The Drop Zone has been described as the most unique event within the Easter Seals development

portfolio. This campaign offers the opportunity to do something highly extraordinary. Drop Zone

participants demonstrate their support for Easter Seals by raising pledges and rappelling down the

side of a high-rise downtown building. More than $1.4M was raised in 2008 alone with expectations of

reaching the million and half dollar mark during the 2009 campaign.

Century 21 – Kids to Camp Launched in September of 2008, Century 21 Kids to Camp Campaign was designed to open up

opportunities for the 385 Century 21 offices to utilize an online based fundraising program to support

Easter Seals as their charity of choice. In the eight months since the campaign’s inception the number of

Century 21 offices raising funds on behalf of Easter Seals has grown by 50% over the previous year.

The Paper Egg Campaign National and Regional Partners of the Easter Seals Paper Egg campaign significantly increased

fundraising during the 2008 campaign. The Bargain Shop doubled sales from the previous year, raising

$145,407. Sobeys West and Sobeys Ontario increased their sales by 17%, raising $246,041, while

Lawtons Drugs increased their sales by 25%, raising $64,600 in Atlantic Canada.

Sadly, long-time partner SAAN went into receivership after the campaign ended. On a positive note, The

Bargain! Shop has bought up more than 70 SAAN stores and retained more than 90 percent of SAAN

staff, all of which participated in the 2009 campaign, which began March 23rd.

The Easter Seals 24 Hour Relay The Easter Seals 24 Hour Relay raised $3.29M in 2008, a slight increase over the previous year, despite a

decline in teams. Relays across the country are stepping up one-to-one contact and online fundraising to

increase participation and dollars raised.

In 2008, Easter Seals and Money Mart were pleased to announce Money Mart’s new role as Title

Sponsor of the Easter Seals 24 Hour Relay. Money Mart stores raised an unprecedented $393,000 for

Easter Seals in 2008.


National ProgramsNational programs are focussed on raising awareness of Easter Seals and disability issues across the

country. In particular, in increasing recreational, leisure and active living opportunities while educating the

public on the importance of pulling down barriers to full, active participation for all Canadians. They are

developed and sustained through partnerships with the private, public and not-for-profit sector.

We are evolving from an organization that is driven by human spirit, good intentions and funder reporting

requirements to supplementing those ideals with a strategic approach to affecting social change. Our

primary focus for the next couple of years will be on the theme areas identified below.

Entertainment (Social, Culture & Recreation) Our strongest and most wide reaching program remains the Access 2 Entertainment Card. This is an

entertainment and leisure based program that reduces isolation, increases recreational opportunities and

maintains a strong collaborative relationship with the disability and business community. Acceptance by

persons with disabilities has been outstanding. Over 30,000 people with disabilities signed up for the

Access 2 card since its launch in 2004/2005.

Access 2 is currently accepted in 95% of movie theatres across Canada. With the support of the Ontario

Trillium Foundation and the Government of Canada we expanded the benefits of the card to include

access to a wider variety of entertainment, recreational, sporting and cultural venues. The card can

now be used at over 20 new attractions across the country. We have also implemented new accessible

customer service training tools for all venues and attractions that accept the card.

For an updated list of venues that accept the card please visit www.access2.ca

Transportation

We currently have a modest travel program that offers free attendant passage via inter-provincial bus

and trains. We are applying the Access 2 model to this program and developing strategic partnerships to

increase travel opportunities on land, rail and air.

Active Living We continue to build on the success of our summer recreational camp programs and expanding it to year

round activities in selected provinces.

With thanks to support from The Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Government of Canada, Easter

Seals Canada raised $311,731 in 2008 to reduce the isolation for persons with disabilities and increase

awareness of disability issues across Canada.

Community Partners

ACCESSCANADIAN ABILITIES FOUNDATION

A.E.B.C“The Key to Equality”

diversityworXAccess > Equity > Inclusion


Treasurer’s ReportStatement of Income and Expenses 08/09

Easter Seals had a successful year with 40% growth

in revenues from Fundraising and a similar increase

in Disbursements to provincial members, despite a

weakening economy. Multi year corporate sponsors

have increased their funding and new ones continue

to come on board. The Board this year decided

to invest funds from reserves into a major Brand

Building Initiative. This new initiative and a net loss

on investments resulted in an overall deficiency of

Income over Expenses.

The consolidated financial statements of Easter

Seals Canada are prepared by the management

in accordance with Canadian generally accepted

accounting principles. Management, with the aid of

proper accounting systems with internal checks and

balances, maintains the integrity and objectivity of

the financial statements and ensures that reliable

financial reports are prepared on a regular basis.

The Board of Directors, through its Executive

Committee, monitors the functioning of accounting

and control systems. The Audit Committee meets

with management and external auditors to review

the results of the audit examination. The external

auditors have conducted an independent audit

in accordance with generally accepted auditing

standards. Their report outlines the scope of the

audit and includes an assessment of the financial

statements of Easter Seals Canada and its adherence

to Canadian generally accepted accounting

principles.

Dale Briske, CA Secretary/Treasurer

Easter Seals Canada

Assets 2009 2008

Current Assets

Long Term Investments

Property and Equipment

449,583

989,176

10,051

285,685

1,355,303

12,063

Total $ 1,448,810 $ 1,653,051

Liabilities and Net Asset Balances

Current Liabilities

Deferred Contributions

Net Assets

151,957

365,981

930,872

188,386

212,230

1,252,435

Total $ 1,448,810 $ 1,653,051

Statement of Income and Expenses

Income

Assessments

Donations

Easter Seals

Fundraising

Program Funding

Investment Income

(loss)

Bequests and other

399,500

37,993

2,989,242

311,731

(147,897)

126,265

346,016

30,360

2,127,484

209,530

8,475

63,088

Total $ 3,716,834 $ 2,784,953

Expenses

General

Program

Disbursements

to Provinces

Brand Building Initiative

Bequests to Members

472,025

291,233

3,051,500

118,639

105,000

471,277

184,459

2,117,509

45,376

Total $ 4,038,397 $ 2,818,621

Deficiency $ (321,563) $ (33,668)


Easter SealsCanada40 Holly StreetSuite 401Toronto, ONM4S 3C3

416-932-8382easterseals.ca

easter seals canada - 2008/2009 annual report

Documents