2021 ANNUAL REPORT
A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit.Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Liza Bouchard, Executive Director
A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Our board of directors wanted to pass a message on to the Drive Happiness volunteer drivers. Thank you all so very much for your continued support throughout another very difficult year. Drive Happiness’ volunteer drivers served more people in 2021 than ever before and this is because of you. Our volunteer drivers assisted an incredible number of non-profits, throughout the province, to ensure their clients were getting what they needed. The many hours of time you put in did not go unnoticed. You gave countless people the ability to maintain some quality of life and still feel connected in their community. Your check-in calls, conversations in the car, and the empathy you showed the seniors were a lifeline. You decreased their isolation and continued to help them through the pandemic. From food security to activity kits, you did it all! However, you provided so much more than supplies. You provided hope and a sense of community that many people thought was lost. Even before the pandemic, you decreased stress for so many. The positive impact you have on people’s mental health and wellbeing is extremely significant. The board of directors is looking forward to another phenomenal year with Drive Happiness. Thank you again to all of the volunteer drivers for your dedication and contributions. We will be forever grateful for helping our seniors when they needed it the most. DRIVE HAPPINESS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
HOW WE DO IT WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY. Residents, organizations, governments, the business community, and the non-profit sector are all working together to create social and physical environments that allow every person to participate fully. Thank you to our 2021 funders for helping get seniors where they need to go.
WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY. Residents, organizations, governments, the business community, and the non-profit sector are all working together to create social and physical environments that allow every person to participate fully. Thank you to our 2021 donors for helping get seniors where they need to go.
ACROSS THE PROVINCE Shiloh Sabas is the Seniors Support Coordinator for the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization (LSCO), which offers various programs and services to older adults. As a trained nurse and wellness advocate, Shiloh is well-aware of the link between accessible transportation and one’s ability to live a healthy life. With support from the United Way and Volunteer Lethbridge, she played a key role in expanding the Seniors Assisted Transportation Program to Southern Alberta. Her knowledge of community resources and the challenges of establishing a volunteer-based driving service helped successfully kickstart the program amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and approximately 600 rides have been completed in the region since.
Dave Maffitt is Chair of the Volunteer Airdrie Society, and as a lifelong volunteer, he’s been involved with many organizations. He was the Chairperson for the Basketball Sport at the Airdrie 2014 Alberta Summer Games, where he organized and supervised 75 volunteers at four venues over three days. He is a Membership Officer for the Karate Alberta Association, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta JKA Karate Association, and was president of Airdrie Minor Basketball for five years. He also serves as a board member for the Airdrie Sport Council, the Airdrie Kiwanis Club, and Volunteer Alberta. Dave’s considerable knowledge of volunteer management has been a significant asset in expanding Drive Happiness to Airdrie. So far, more than 500 rides have been completed in this community.
SENIORS EQUITY COLLECTIVE
The Seniors Equity Collective is a collaborative approach to service delivery for seniors living in the Edmonton area who experience barriers to accessing programs and services. Drive Happiness, Sage Seniors Association, GEF Seniors Housing, and the Multicultural Health Brokers work together for the inclusion of all seniors. As a formal collective, we are working towards integrating multiple programs and services to ensure seamless referrals and maximize the potential impact of the support that we can offer together. This work increases our capacity to serve seniors in our community and leverages our collective wisdom and expertise in our respective program areas.
DRIVE HAPPINESS MERCH VACCINE TRIPS & DRAV In 2021 Drive Happiness worked throughout the province to assist individuals in getting to their vaccine appointments. Our network of volunteers completed 1,152 trips to vaccine appointments in 34 communities. In 2022, we will continue this work through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Immunization Partnership Fund. Driving Rural Access to Vaccines (DRAV) works to close the gap among populations with lower vaccine uptake rates by enabling informed vaccination choices and increasing accessibility and convenience. DRAV has quickly adapted to both provincial and federal COVID-19 restrictions and updates and we have centered our approach around public health principles and community needs while finding a new path forward. DRAV is looking for folks to work as volunteer drivers in the Northwest region of Alberta as well as project partners who want to help move this forward. DRAV is focusing on Grand Prairie (GP) as a hub for Northwestern Alberta and looking to expand our services to this region. For more information check out the new DRAV page on our website! https://drivehappiness.ca/drav/
JANET HUGHES AWARD
2021 FINANCIALS