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to the Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund

Dr. Devorah Barrett smiling outside

Inspired by her son Anthony, Deborah Barrett was a tireless advocate for autistic adults and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. She was particularly passionate about building avenues for meaningful employment and involvement in the community for individuals with disabilities who have aged out of the school system.

Deborah was deeply committed to public service. In addition to liaising with the provincial government for better services for the disability community through Act Now for Autism, Deborah was a board member and later president of the Autism Society of Edmonton Area, a board member and president of Autism Society Alberta, and editor of Autism Now and Autism Around Alberta.

In honour of her passion and drive to ensure individuals on the autism spectrum can look forward to lives full of opportunity, we are pleased to launch the ‘Dr. Deborah Barrett Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund’.

Every year, the ‘Dr. Deborah Barrett Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund’ will support projects that ensure people with autism have lives full of opportunity.

Planning for the Future

The 2023 inaugural project for the Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund was effectively accomplished by creating a four-part series of videos based on the important topic of Planning for the Future. Our highly knowledgeable presenter was Trista D. Carey of Schnell, Hardy, Jones LLP Lawyers. The four presentations recorded covered these distinct areas: guardianship, trusteeship, enduring power of attorney & personal directives, and wills. You can view them at the links below.

Part 1: Guardianship

Recorded January 2023, Trista D. Carey of Schnell, Hardy, Jones LLP Lawyers, guides families through the guardianship process and the different levels of guardianship.

Watch video here

Part 2: Trusteeship

Recorded March 2023, Trista D. Carey of Schnell, Hardy, Jones LLP Lawyers, guides families through the trusteeship process in order to protect your loved one’s financial interest.

Watch video here

Part 3: Power of Attorney & Personal Directive

Recorded May 17, 2023. Learn more about the role and importance of having these essential documents, how they are different, and the significant consequences if you do not have them and then lose capacity with Trista D. Carey of Schnell, Hardy, Jones LLP Lawyers.

Watch Video Here

Part 4: Wills

Recorded on July 19, 2023. We discuss some of the necessary considerations when creating an estate plan involving a Represented Adult, including a discussion on the use of RDSPs and Henson Trusts with Trista D. Carey of Schnell, Hardy, Jones LLP Lawyers.

Watch Video Here

Transitioning to 60+

An older gentleman sitting on a bench looking to the water

The 2024 initiative of the Who Will Take Care of Our Kids Fund was realized in the creation of a much-needed guide. Our Transitioning to 60+ toolkit is meant to help Autistic adults navigate the transition to a new phase of life at 60+ years of age. You’ll find information about federal and provincial financial benefits, resources, challenges and strategies, links to articles, and more! Take a look, and feel free to share it with others who may benefit from this knowledge.