CommuniTEA Infusion 2025

CommuniTEA Infusion is a mobile tea house run by people with disabilities. A social innovation project of Skills Society, CommuniTEA builds community and supports the inclusion and citizenship of individuals with disabilities. The Tea Van travels to neighbourhoods across our city, creating “pop-up” town squares where people can come together, get to know one another, and strengthen community connections.

This year marked the Tea Van’s 10th season, and what better way to celebrate this milestone than with new partnerships and incredible community gatherings! The Tea Van attended 27 events, ranging from small block parties of just 10 people to large community markets like the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, where we served nearly 1,000 cups of iced tea. In total, this year we served over 3,000 cups of iced tea and lemonade, and connected with more than 5,000 people all across Edmonton. We also made seven new event connections this year, something we’re extremely grateful for! We love that this initiative continues to grow year after year.

The Tea Van wouldn’t run nearly as smoothly without our amazing team. This season, nine Community Builders and five drivers dedicated their time and energy to promoting and running the Tea Van. People with disabilities are at the heart of this initiative, taking on the leadership roles of Community Builders. Most of our Community Builders and drivers returned from previous years, bringing valuable experience and excitement. Their enthusiasm for connecting with others kept our mission of building community strong, you could always find them striking up a conversation, or efficiently setting up the Tea Van activities. 

We wrapped up the season with a celebration party, reminiscing about the events we attended and sharing fond memories. The hard work and heart our team puts into every season never goes unnoticed and we are truly grateful for each and every person who has been a part of the team. 

A special thank you goes out to our Lead Community Builder, Sam. Sam has been part of the Tea Van team since 2023 and has loved being involved from the very start. When asked to take on the Lead Community Builder role this season, she said she was “really excited” and “couldn’t wait to get started.” From day one, Sam showed incredible leadership, greeting community members, offering a drink, and making sure our iced tea and lemonade jugs were always full.

The Tea Van also makes buttons for community members, which was a new task for Sam this year. She stepped out of her comfort zone to take it on, and it quickly became her favourite part! “I was first nervous about the buttons,” Sam said, “but they ended up being my favourite.” She also shared that “working with other community builders was a highlight for me.” We are so thankful for Sam’s enthusiasm and dedication to the Tea Van!

This season was truly one for the books. We’re so grateful to all the community members who continue to support and share in this initiative. Until next year!

This post was written by Brooklyn Lema, Communitea Infusion Coordinator