2020 COMMUNITY BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR NOMINEE

Brain Injury Association of York Region (BIAYR)

Nominated For: COMMUNITY BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR

The Brain Injury Association of York Region (BIAYR) is a non-profit organization that helps countless numbers of survivors, caregivers, and their families in the York Region area. BIAYR’s mission is to build awareness, foster an environment of ongoing learning and support, and advocate on behalf of communities to ensure survivor and caregiver needs are understood and fulfilled. We pride ourselves on offering free support and services to all members of our community living with the effects of brain injury. This includes running free weekly educational talks; a variety of in-person and online programs (e.g., archery, gardening, yoga, mindfulness, music therapy, etc.); a biweekly support group; a monthly caregiver support group; monthly blogs; weekly educational social media posts; and other special interest groups. This year, we hosted several in-person events, including a Highlights Tour at the McMichael Gallery and the Maple Syrup Festival at Kortright Centre, which allows us to support local venues. The ability to offer all the above is made possible by generous donations, fundraising efforts, and the support of the community.

To celebrate our successes and show our appreciation to all who contribute to our organization and access the services offered, we were pleased to host our Annual Mixer again this year at the beautiful Kortright Centre for Conservation. It was a wonderful opportunity for all members, volunteers, and generous supporters to recognize and honour the work that we do every day for our community!

To learn more about BIAYR and the programs and services offered, please visit www.biayr.org and follow us on Instagram @brain_injury_yr and Facebook @biayr.org