Makers Making Change

Makers Making Change Makers Making Change connects people with disabilities to volunteer makers to create low cost assist Makers Making Change is helping bridge that gap.

80% of people with disabilities use an assistive device and 27% are at least one device short, often citing cost as a barrier. We offer a platform for device users and disability professionals to collaborate with volunteer makers to build solutions that meet their needs. All assistive devices in our library are free to access and curated. Browse through a wide variety of devices like simple bottle key turners to high-tech options like sip and puff mouse.

While we’ve often highlighted the efforts of our volunteers, today we want to do something a little different — we want ...
11/21/2025

While we’ve often highlighted the efforts of our volunteers, today we want to do something a little different — we want to share the great work a couple of Hacking for the Holidays supporters are doing to raise funds to ensure kids with disabilities get the adapted toys they need to play independently.

Cameron David, a personal trainer in the Lower Mainland (pictured on the right running), and his friend, a handyman also named Cameron (pictured on the left with his son), have started their own Hacking for the Holidays fundraising page and pledged to run a kilometre each for every $50 raised, with the goal of raising $2,000 and running 40 km. So far, the two Camerons have raised nearly $1,400 from their contacts, making a huge difference in our goal to raise $200,000. We’re blown away by their support of our campaign.

Want to help us raise funds for Hacking for the Holidays? Anyone can set up their own fundraising page on our Hacking for the Holidays Causevox donation page. Near the top of our donation page, you’ll see three buttons up top — if you click on “Raise Funds,” it’ll allow you to create your own personal fundraising page (or a team page if you’re doing this with your organization). Once you create an account, you’ll fill in the details, choose a fundraising goal (what will be ambitious enough to feel like a stretch, but reasonable enough that you can meet it?), and voila, you have your very own page you can share with your network.

Read more about the Two Cameron's pledge: https://ow.ly/UN8S50XvZ69

Start your own fundraising page: https://hackingfortheholidays2025.causevox.com/

A successful collaboration between Place aux compétences, École Anna-Malenfant, and our Makers Making Change and Solutio...
11/20/2025

A successful collaboration between Place aux compétences, École Anna-Malenfant, and our Makers Making Change and Solutions programs resulted in the creation of a simple yet effective 3D-printed adaptation for a Neil Squire client preparing to return to work with pain and limited left arm mobility.

Read more: https://www.neilsquire.ca/neil-squire-solutions-makers-making-change-place-aux-competences-and-ecole-anna-malenfant-collaborate-to-design-custom-assistive-technology-for-a-client/

11/19/2025

Hacking for the Holidays
Thursday, November 20, 6:00-7:30 pm
Ages 12 and up

Join us for a hands-on workshop with Makers Making Change and help make toys more accessible for kids with disabilities. With a little tinkering, we'll learn how to switch-adapt toys - turning ordinary playthings into inclusive, easy-to-use fun at a fraction of the cost.

All tools, materials, and toys are provided, and completed toys will be donated to local children. The event also includes a short presentation on assistive technology and inclusive design. Open to youth and adults - no experience needed!

Register here: https://beaumontlibrary.libcal.com/event/3956039

On Thursday and Friday, we attended the ASPECT Conference in Richmond, BC. A great opportunity to connect with other ser...
11/18/2025

On Thursday and Friday, we attended the ASPECT Conference in Richmond, BC. A great opportunity to connect with other service providers from across British Columbia, and we're proud to be a sponsor of this year's conference.

Left to right: WorkBC Assistive Technology Services Assistant Program Manager Leila Balmoral, Director of Makers Making Change Justin Pezzin, and General Disability Practitioner Maribeth Malvar.

Everyone’s favorite switch has just gotten better! The Interact Switch has just gotten an update, making it easier than ...
11/17/2025

Everyone’s favorite switch has just gotten better! The Interact Switch has just gotten an update, making it easier than ever to build. The screws are now easier to screw in, the switch fits better even if you used a lot of solder, and it now has an optional soldering jig to make it even easier to hold everything in place.

It also has an all new documentation package so you can find all the parts you need to buy in one place, and detailed step by step instructions on how to print the parts and assemble the switch.

Download the new files: https://www.makersmakingchange.com/product/interact-switch/01tJR000000698vYAA

Our friends at PrintLab and Autodesk have launched the 2026 Make:able Challenge, this year with an exciting new open-sou...
11/14/2025

Our friends at PrintLab and Autodesk have launched the 2026 Make:able Challenge, this year with an exciting new open-source twist. New resources this year will help teams not only design and prototype an assistive device for an individual, but also prepare it for global use through open source sharing, giving you the tools to publish it freely online for others to download, adapt and build upon.

Take part in the 2026 Make:able Challenge from PrintLab and Autodesk. Use 3D design and printing to create and share open-source assistive technology.

Earlier this month, we did a   build with the FIRST Robotics Cyber Eagles team in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Thanks to Dow ...
11/14/2025

Earlier this month, we did a build with the FIRST Robotics Cyber Eagles team in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Thanks to Dow Canada for purchasing the toys for the build. In all, 15 paint spinners were built and 13 Bluey toys were adapted, all to be donated to local children with disabilities.

We want to give a huge shoutout to one of our major sponsors for this year’s Hacking for the Holidays campaign, the Bour...
11/13/2025

We want to give a huge shoutout to one of our major sponsors for this year’s Hacking for the Holidays campaign, the Bourassa Savaria Foundation. We’re incredibly grateful for their donation of $10,000 and their continued support of making play accessible for children with disabilities. Thank you!

11/12/2025

MMC Live is a monthly live stream where we will share resources and projects, exciting updates in our community, and much more. Each month, the live stream will focus on updates from our regional coordinators, accessible gaming team, or R&D team.

Join Tyler Fentie and Josie Versloot from our Adaptive Gaming team for a conversation about all things gaming. We will highlight what new tech and resources are available, news about our GAME Checkpoints program, and recommend some games. Whether you're a hardcore gamer, new to the scene, or guiding someone’s gaming journey, make sure to check out this episode!

11/07/2025

Curious about what toys are available for our Hacking For The Holidays campaign? Shanelle gives us a sneak peek of the Peek A Boo Koala. To request a toy in Canada, check out our Hacking For The Holidays page of our website. Requests will close November 30th 2025.
https://www.makersmakingchange.com/hacking-for-the-holidays

When students at Gretna Green School's Gator Designs extracurricular maker club learned they would be building switches ...
11/06/2025

When students at Gretna Green School's Gator Designs extracurricular maker club learned they would be building switches for kids with disabilities for our Hacking for the Holidays campaign, they felt inspired to take it one step further, taking the initiative to raise over $500 for our campaign.

“It's really nice to see the kids engaged and helping each other and wanting to give back,” shares Angela McQuaid Murphy, who teaches grade 7 and 8 French Immersion math and science at Gretna Green.

Read more: https://www.makersmakingchange.com/news/gretna-green-school-students-raise-over-500-and-adapt-toys-for-hacking-for-the-h-MC56GPTG2GANHZPILPKEM7N436OU

Address

400-3999 Henning Drive
Burnaby, BC
V5C6P9

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+16044739363

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About our program

80% of people living with a disability use some kind of aid or assistive device on a daily basis to increase their independence.

Makers Making Change offers an open-source platform for makers (engineers, hobbyists, students, corporations, etc.) to volunteer their time to make an access solution from our projects library. People with disabilities, their family members, or disability professionals can request a project that they feel will help address a person’s barriers.

You may freely download the designs and skilled volunteers in your community can work with you to ensure the device meets your needs.