Throughout the past 20 years, local organization LiveWorkPlay has helped hundreds of people living with intellectual disabilities find employment, social activity and housing. In the process, it has written many success stories, like Emily Menard’s.
Menard has an intellectual disability, but through LiveWorkPlay’s employment matching program, she was hired as a clerk at the accounting firm Welch LLP where she is paid a competitive salary. Her story even resulted in a starring role in a United Way video that aired on CTV Ottawa news on Feb. 9.
But Menard is not alone. LiveWorkPlay helps provide training and paid employment for many other Ottawa residents who are intellectually disabled.
Now, Algonquin’s public relations students are hoping to help the organization provide even more people with access to their services. The students are also aiming to raise awareness and eventually make its services unnecessary.
They have launched a campaign, appropriately named Dreams Worth Living, and will be rolling out 11 different events over the next month in support of LiveWorkPlay.
“We’re excited about the prospect of making a major impact on the level of awareness around LiveWorkPlay as an organization,” said media relations coordinator Riley Nicklaus Evans. “We are also excited to challenge the misconceptions surrounding people with intellectual disabilities.”
The students initially pitched 10 different organizations for their campaign, but narrowed it down to three towards the end of the selection process. LiveWorkPlay was up against Capital City Condors and The Door, but eventually came out on top.
“We believe every member of the community is deserving,” said PR student Marja Monteiro.
Over the next month, the campaign will set out to raise $25,000 for the organization by hosting events ranging from glow in the dark dodge ball to a paint battle in the Observatory.