When you meet Julie Melanie, one of the first things you’ll notice is her warm laugh—and then, the handcrafted bag attached to her scooter, stitched with care and purpose. That bag represents far more than additional storage. It’s the beginning of a story that continues to reshape the lives of people who rely on mobility aids every day.
A proud resident of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Julie was born in Chile and has lived through seven decades of resilience, creativity, and reinvention. She lives with a heart condition called angina, which limits her mobility, and she depends on her scooter to move through the world. But, as Julie will tell you with a spark in her eyes, “There’s no age to pursue your dreams.”
Years ago, she faced a daily problem: her scooter didn’t have the space that she needed, whether her phone, glasses, water bottle, or her groceries. “These devices help us stay independent,” she explains, “but they don’t give us anywhere to carry what we need. And as they say… necessity is the mother of invention.”
So she invented her own solution.
A trained seamstress, Julie returned to her craft and began experimenting with recycled fabrics, creating a storage bag that could attach securely to mobility aids. The first version was meant just for her—simple, functional, and tailored to her needs. Since then, her business grew not because she imagined herself as an entrepreneur—but because she created something people needed. Three years later, Julie has sold over 2,000 bags, hired another seamstress to support demand, and expanded her designs to fit scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, and even strollers. Her products are crafted from recycled materials, reducing waste while increasing independence for people of all ages and abilities.
For Julie, this business didn’t just provide income—it provided transformation. Before Enviro Bag Evolution, she often relied on the food bank to supplement her basic needs. Now, thanks to her business success, she proudly shares that she no longer needs to visit the food bank.
Julie’s journey also changed when she was introduced to Employ to Empower (ETE), a Vancouver-based charity that believes everyone—regardless of disability, income, mental health, or past experiences—deserves the opportunity to thrive.
ETE’s Business Skills Training and mentorship programs supported Julie in building her confidence, supplemented her business plan creation, and expanded her reach. Employ to Empower believes in the power of “and.” People can live with disabilities and dream of creating a business driven by passion, purpose, and the strengths that have always been within. You can face systemic barriers and be a leader in your community. You can experience struggle and challenges, and learn to thrive with the available tools, opportunities and community support.
Julie is the embodiment of that truth.
“Anybody can be an entrepreneur if they want,” she often says. “There’s no age for success. There’s no age to start a business. There’s no age in life to learn. We learn every day.”
Her customers include seniors, parents, wheelchair users, and individuals who simply want more freedom while moving through their day. Each bag helps someone feel a little more capable, a little more independent, a little more dignified. And each sale reinforces Julie’s core belief: that purpose is not limited by age or circumstance.
Today, when Julie moves through her community—seamlessly carrying everything she needs—she’s also carrying something bigger: the reminder that empowerment grows when someone is given the chance to be seen, supported, and believed in.
At Employ to Empower, this is at the heart of our mission. We collaborate with people facing systemic barriers, offering skills-building, mentorship, and opportunities that foster economic inclusion, confidence, and belonging. We believe that no one should be left behind—and that everyone has a strength to offer.
Julie’s strength just happens to be stitched, crafted, and sewn with love.
As she prepares for her next chapter—with new bag styles, new partnerships, and new dreams—Julie continues to remind us why programs like the RUN4HOPE Charity Initiative matter. When you support Employ to Empower, you’re helping individuals like Julie transform their creativity into income, their independence into confidence, and their dreams into lasting impact.
Because thriving is not the absence of barriers—it’s what happens when someone is given the opportunity to thrive, just as they are.
Leare more about Employ to Empower.