Celebrating 50 Years of Empowering People with Disabilities

In September 2023, Alice Saddy Association celebrated an incredible milestone – our 50th anniversary. 

While we’ve been supporting people with developmental disabilities since 1973, some people don’t know our origin story or how we’ve evolved over time. 

Our organization draws its name from Alice Saddy, a woman who was well known in London for her volunteer work assisting adults with disabilities. Upon her passing, Alice Saddy Association was founded to honour her memory. 

We opened our first home on Wolfe Street in November 1973. Over the years, we’ve evolved from teaching daily living skills in a group-home setting to focusing on the needs of the individual. 

Half a century later, we now support over 170 individuals with 108 employees. 

Person-directed supports

We’ve also changed how we support individuals, moving towards person-directed supports. This means not only empowering individuals and families to have a voice, but also providing supports that reflect what they’ve shared. 

It’s about truly listening to people and taking the time to understand their hopes, dreams and individualized needs. 

This is an important shift that ensures the people we support are taking the lead in their lives. 

Filling the gap

While we’ve had much growth, we know there are many people with developmental disabilities who are in need of support. 

Whether it’s helping to find affordable housing, managing Passport funding, or providing guidance and support, we’re looking for new ways to meet their needs. Just as the challenges for support are many, so is our commitment to growing how we can support individuals and our community. 

We’re excited for what the next 50 years will bring for Alice Saddy Association. We’re grateful our namesake’s passion for people with disabilities as we work to meet the current and future needs of our community.