Harrison's Hope is founded on the principle of lifelong support for individuals and families living with FASD. We recognize the need for a continuum of services that starts with prevention education and extends to senior care, fostering inclusion, dignity and interdependence. Founded in 2024 as a Not for Profit, we were granted registered Canadian Charity status in 2025.
Mary Byrnes is the Founder and Executive Director of Harrison's Hope, a Canadian charity dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals and families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Her advocacy began with the adoption of her son, a journey that led her to navigate the challenges of complex diagnoses, discover the power of FASD-informed support, and ultimately become a leading voice in the field.
With a background in early childhood education and special needs, Mary combines professional expertise with lived experience. Recently, she was diagnosed with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure herself, a milestone that has further shaped Harrison's Hope into a disability-led, caregiver- and lived-experience-informed organization.
Drawing from her dual lived and caregiver experience, Mary is recognized internationally as a passionate advocate, speaker, educator, and mentor for those living with FASD and professionals alike, sharing her story and insights across North America and the United Kingdom.
Lisa C., MPA, is the Director of Innovation & Program Design at Harrison's Hope, where she specializes in designing services for individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their caregivers. With over 20 years in the developmental services sector, Lisa combines her professional leadership with her lived experience as a parent of a child with FASD.
A Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Professional with a Master of Public Administration from Queen's University, Lisa has a proven track record in system redesign and financial oversight, dedicated to ensuring equitable access for the FASD community.
As Chief Operating Officer of a multinational CPG firm, Alex has spearheaded a five-year strategic transformation resulting in over 200% growth. He serves on the Board of Harrison's Hope, combining his deep corporate acumen with a personal commitment to the FASD community.
Amanda has been a Harrison's Hope Board Member since 2024. She holds a Business Administration - Marketing Diploma and post-secondary certification in Fundraising Management. Amanda brings extensive experience in fundraising, marketing, public relations and event planning from the non-profit, education and healthcare sectors.
Michelle is a parent advocate and mentor with over 12 years of lived experience raising a child with FASD. She holds 2 degrees with majors in Psychology and Human Resources. Michelle is passionate about strengthening supports for individuals living with FASD and their families.
Alison is a Kinship Carer of four, all suspected of living with FASD. As a past founder of a charity organization, Alison shares her strong skill set in community partnership development and fundraising acumen. She is passionate about removing the stigma surrounding FASD.
Promote the dignity of individuals and families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) by building safe, inclusive FASD-informed communities that provide support throughout the lifespan of both individuals living with FASD and their caregivers across Canada.
At Harrison's Hope, we envision a world where individuals and families impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are empowered to thrive. Our commitment is to provide lifelong, knowledgeable support that respects the uniqueness of each person's journey, fosters strong community connections, and advocates for greater understanding and accessible resources.
We strive to include experiences and resources from a wide range of individuals and caregivers affected by FASD. We are open about our limitations and acknowledge the possibility of unconscious bias due to privileged backgrounds. Our goal is to create an inclusive environment, recognizing and respecting diversity in all its forms.
We believe in working with others, not for or to them. Excellence within the FASD community is recognized and celebrated. Power is shared, progress is celebrated, and the origins and authors of resources are always acknowledged.
Everyone has a responsibility to protect those most vulnerable. Our team makes the safety and well-being of individuals with FASD and their families a top priority, taking appropriate actions as needed throughout our work.
We are committed to listening attentively to those who feel underrepresented, misheard, or misunderstood--especially caregivers and individuals across all ages and backgrounds affected by FASD. Their perspectives help guide our actions and advocacy.
Advocacy and education are rooted in people's stories. We share these stories only with explicit permission and ensure they are treated with utmost respect. Privacy, confidentiality, and an individual's authority over their own experiences and medical histories are always honoured.
Solution-focused support is central to our approach. We provide FASD-informed services such as respite programs, family navigation, and skill-building opportunities. We embrace challenging problems and difficult conversations, always seeking constructive paths forward.
Our decisions consider environmental impacts, from program delivery and materials selection to partnerships. We are committed to working with organizations that practice sustainability and responsible stewardship.
We acknowledge that we are not perfect. Our organization welcomes feedback, strives for continuous improvement, and commits to doing our best until we know better. Harrison's Hope may be small, but our aspirations are ambitious and far-reaching.
When you engage with Harrison's Hope, you can trust that our actions are shaped by these values. We are dedicated to fostering understanding, building community, and providing supportive resources that honour the lived experiences of every individual and family touched by FASD.
Our strategic plan aligns with our mission of fostering sustainable, interdependent support systems for the FASD community. We are dedicated to supporting individuals and families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) through trauma-informed and Narrative Therapy informed lenses with the aim to promote sustainable citizenship within inclusive communities.
Increase 1:1 caregiver support, training programs, and online offerings to meet growing demand.
Strengthen partnerships with local agencies and service users to enhance outreach and inclusivity.
Diversify funding sources through grants, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events.
Promote FASD awareness through education campaigns and policy development.
This plan aligns with Harrison's Hope's mission of fostering sustainable, interdependent support systems for the FASD community.
Expand parental supports, volunteer program, training opportunities, Guest Speaker events, Conference/Workshops and support groups.
Offer enhanced training for educators and service providers to foster FASD informed service delivery via webinars, workshops and conferences.
Support those living with FASD to access safe housing and employment opportunities by collaboration and training:
Develop metrics to assess program impact, client satisfaction, and organizational growth, ensuring continuous improvement.
At Harrison's Hope, we believe in driving inclusion, innovation and research in the field of FASD, and we do that through our partnerships, memberships and collaborations with a multitude of experts in their respective fields. We want to be a part of the growing network of FASD experts with lived experience and fellow collaborators driving the improvement in all areas of the lives of individuals living with FASD and their caregivers. We believe in universal design and accessibility for all, including persons living with FASD.
Canada's source for evidence-based information on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
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An open space to share what you are doing in the field of FASD, discuss potential interests and ideas regarding recent developments in our states/territories/local areas, interstate, international, or cross-organizational collaborations, and how we can learn from one another.
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Focused on supporting the creation of fully inclusive communities that address the needs of all individuals who are neurodiverse. We provide access to support groups, online webinars, and special interest groups.
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A membership network created to bring together accessibility professionals including RHFAC Professionals, accessibility consultants, experts in the built environment, students passionate about access and anyone interested in creating a Canada that's accessible for all.
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The AAC is comprised of local and national organizations as well as individual volunteers who have signalled their commitment to the AAC's vision: for people of all ages and abilities in Canada to have access to homes that are free of barriers and support their ability to participate fully in society.
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Connecting those with lived experience, families, caregivers, professionals, leaders and community.
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A registered not-for-profit representing charities and organizations working to solve the housing crisis for those with developmental disabilities across Canada by using scale and shared learning, expanding affordable housing projects, and creating a consortium advocacy approach to all levels of Government.
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A group of people from all regions of Canada that meet monthly to talk about research, policy, and practice related to FASD prevention and healthy beginnings. Members include researchers, service providers, policy advisors, community based activists and women with lived experience.
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We are listed with the Markham Stouffville Hospital Approved Mental Health Resource Partners as an FASD Resource Provider.
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A police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
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Participating in accessibility research and standards development initiatives.
Collaboration on innovative AI-powered FASD support tools and applications.
College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty of Education
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Faculty of Social Work
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AI-Powered Visual Learning Tools for Neurodiverse Children
ella.ai
Regional collaboration for service coordination.
We welcome opportunities to collaborate on research, advocacy, and community initiatives. Reach out to explore how we can work together.
Call for PartnershipsWe're here to answer any questions about our mission, programs, or how you can get involved.
Contact UsPartners and professionals share their experience working with Harrison's Hope.
