Adapted Recreational Programs

The Leisure in Fun Environments program is heavily supported by donor funding and provides a wide range of recreational and social opportunities for youth with disabilities.

LIFE Programs

The Leisure in Fun Environments (LIFE) program is 100 per cent funded by generous gifts to the Foundation. It is incredibly beneficial for children and youth living with disabilities, helping teach them valuable life skills and providing opportunities to socialize and have fun with their peers. It can be incredibly difficult for families to find recreation opportunities suitable for their child’s needs and the LIFE program fills that void. Every activity is modified to fit the special needs and skill levels of each child. Some of the activities within the program include summer day camps, music therapy, a ‘Saturday Night for Teens’ club, art therapy, cooking clubs and much more. The annual cost of the program is nearly $400,000.

Children & Youth Camps

Camp is the LIFE Program’s largest program and offers meaningful, inclusive camp experiences for many youth with disabilities. Two types of camp programming are offered, a seven-week summer & fun day camp and a four-day spring break camp. The camp program offers a variety of activities to match interests of participants. The programs are run by trained professionals (occupational therapist, recreation therapist, educator and/or physiotherapist) and provide programming for children and youth with complex physical and medical needs. Donations are vital to funding these camp experiences for underserved youth. The cost of the program is currently about $200,000 annually.

Cooking Clubs

The LIFE Program offers three different types of cooking clubs – an after-school club which takes place in high schools across Manitoba, a Saturday parent-child club and a Friday Supper Club for youth and their families. The overall purpose of this vital program is to provide a positive learning environment for life and social skills, as well as time to challenge and expand food repertoires.

Parent-Free Social Opportunities

This incredible donor-funded program includes the highly popular Saturday Night for Teens and newly rebranded Teen Social Calendar nights. These activities include community-based events, dances, themed social nights and virtual teen hangouts. Scheduled on weekends, these programs offer opportunities for teens and youth with disabilities to socialize with peers in a supported and welcoming environment.

Music Therapy

Group music therapy classes delivered by a trained musical therapist and open to children and their parents. This important LIFE program provides an affordable music therapy option for families. Music aids in regulation for children with disabilities and this program offers meaningful experiences with peers, family member and musical therapists.

Sport Development

Limited accessible sport opportunities make it challenging for people with disabilities to live an active lifestyle. This program provides an opportunity for youth to try out new sport activities in a safe and supportive environment while interacting with other youth and families. Programs include boccia, yoga, zumba and swimming which are adapted to allow for participation at each person’s level of ability. An adapted recreation equipment loan program is also available to families and professionals.

General Programming & Family Festivals

The LIFE Program provides a variety of general programming which is funded solely by generous gifts to CRF. These include family festivals and carnivals as well as rural program offerings.