Habilitas Foundation: Promoting accessibility and inclusion through graphic design and visual storytelling
2022 – Present
Partnership highlights: Driving social impact and inclusivity through graphic design
At Gancz Creations, we take immense pride in our collaborative projects that create meaningful change. Over the past few years, we have had the privilege of providing graphic design services to the Habilitas Foundation, a leader in promoting accessibility and inclusivity. Our partnership includes the design of annual impact reports, brochures, mail appeals, and other printed materials. These projects are crafted to showcase Habilitas’ commitment to inclusive design, highlighting their achievements, community impact, and future goals. Our social impact-focused design work emphasizes the organization’s resilience and adaptability, demonstrating how Habilitas continues to support their community.
About the Habilitas Foundation:
A legacy of inclusivity and advocacy
With a history that spans over 150 years, the Habilitas Foundation—formerly known as the Mackay Rehabilitation Centre—has long been a pillar in advancing accessibility and empowerment. The foundation offers a wide range of services, including rehabilitation, adaptive sports, and advocacy for people with disabilities.
Their mission is to empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives through comprehensive support and innovative solutions. With a deep commitment to accessible design, they strive to break down barriers and promote advocacy across all sectors of society.
Key design strategies: Leveraging visual storytelling for social change
Visual storytelling
We employ a narrative-driven approach to visual storytelling that effectively communicates the stories of individuals who have benefited from Habilitas’ programs. Each narrative is paired with compelling visuals that create an emotional connection with the audience, ensuring that key achievements and milestones are prominently showcased.
Accessible & inclusive design
Ensuring that all materials are accessible to every reader is of utmost importance. We implement inclusive design principles, such as high-contrast text, accessible fonts, intuitive navigation, and screen-reader compatibility, making our designs universally accessible.
Empathy-driven imagery
Photography plays a crucial role in conveying the emotional depth of Habilitas’ work. Images capture moments of triumph and perseverance, highlighting the human aspect of the organization. Authentic images of beneficiaries and staff are integrated throughout the designed materials, adding a personal, relatable touch to the narrative.
Dynamic layouts
To present data in an engaging and easily digestible format, we create custom infographics that illustrate key statistics and achievements. These dynamic layouts mirror the resilience and adaptability of Habilitas, using fluid design elements to symbolize growth and progress.
Interactive elements
To enhance reader engagement, we incorporate interactive elements in the digital versions of the reports. Clickable infographics and embedded videos provide a multi-dimensional experience, bringing the stories to life and deepening the impact of the visual communication.
Vibrant colour palette
The colour palette is carefully selected from the Habilitas branding guide to reflect the vibrancy and energy of the community. Bright, uplifting colours evoke a sense of hope and positivity, enhancing the visual storytelling.
Featured projects:
Highlighting our impactful work with Habilitas
Impact reports (2022 & 2023)
The redesign of the 2022 & 2023 Impact Reports marked a significant milestone in our work with Habilitas. This comprehensive rebranding introduced fresh colour schemes and typography to enhance both visual appeal and readability. The reports prominently feature significant achievements and tell the transformative stories of individuals whose lives have been touched by Habilitas’ programs.
Former Montreal Association for the Blind annual reports, dating back to the early 1990s.
The latest refresh of the Habilitas Impact Reports design, created by Gancz Creations since 2022.
Positioning Department campaign
We developed a focused campaign for the Habilitas Positioning Department, emphasizing the critical role of custom seating solutions for individuals with disabilities. This campaign included a brochure that detailed the department’s benefits and success stories, illustrating the real-world impact of their work.
Grateful Clients brochure
The Grateful Clients brochure brings to life heartfelt stories from Habilitas’ beneficiaries, expressing their deep gratitude for the life-changing support they have received. The inclusive graphic design, warm and inviting, fosters a strong emotional connection between the readers and the Habilitas community.
Holiday appeal
For the holiday season, we crafted a special mail appeal package to encourage donations for the MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre. This festive appeal highlights the importance of therapeutic toys in child development and invites supporters to contribute to this meaningful cause.
Christina brings creativity and kindness to the table in equal measure. I appreciate that she both takes direction and takes the lead as the situation requires.
Avigail Aronoff – Director, Communications & Community Outreach, Habilitas Foundation
Outcomes: Recognizing the power of visual storytelling in social impact
The design of these materials has been highly regarded for their innovative approach and compelling visual storytelling. They effectively communicate Habilitas’ resilience and ongoing commitment to their mission, reinforcing their role as a leader in accessibility and inclusion.
Join our journey: Collaborating for social impact through design
At Gancz Creations, we believe in the power of graphic design to drive social change. Our collaboration with Habilitas exemplifies our dedication to creating impactful visual communication for organizations making a difference. We look forward to partnering with more mission-driven organizations as we continue this journey of creativity and advocacy.