Our History and Our Why

Founded in Brockville in 1956 by parents and family members, Community Involvement has been instrumental in developing a range of services and opportunities for people with an intellectual disability. These have included employment, housing, education, recreation, family support, and advocacy. While BDACI was founded originally as a school, it later went on to provide residential services, host family, and family support. Eventually, BDACI transferred the congregate residential services to another agency. Community Involvement became incorporated as a non-profit charitable organization in 1972 and is an original member of the United Way of Leeds and Grenville.

Building on this legacy, it is our vision that “all communities offer all people equal opportunity, full participation, respect, and value as individuals.”  It is our goal and purpose to “inspire new possibilities for people by supporting their learning of new skills, employment, housing, forming and development of relationships, and also by spreading a message of community and inclusion.”

Specifically, we exist to:

• Promote and protect the rights of individuals;
• Encourage and support parent-to-parent involvement;
• Support people to participate in community;
• Promote and stand with individuals and families in obtaining appropriate services and supports; and
• Encourage and support community awareness, through public education, of the issues facing people who have been devalued.

We are driven by the following core values and philosophy:

• All human life has equal value and should therefore be accorded equal treatment.
• All people, regardless of degree of disability, should live in and be part of their community.
• Each individual is capable of growth, development, and meaningful participation in the community.
• Individuals should have a wide range of life choices.
• Each individual should be supported according to their specific needs.
• Control over the lives of individuals should rest largely with themselves.
• Individuals should be supported and served in the most integrative (and least restrictive) environment.
• People who have been devalued in our society should be accorded a valued standard of living.
• Communities share in the responsibility of including and supporting all their citizens.