Since its founding over 100 years ago, Easterseals has focused on inclusion of marginalized communities, beginning with children with disabilities. Now, we're ensuring that disabled people of all ages, veterans and military families, and low-income families are full participants in the community. Our programs are designed to help each participant realize his or her personal goals.

 

Key Representation Indicators

Across the Easterseals DC MD VA network, more than 1,200 children of all abilities and 1,700 adults with disabilities are served in a typical year. Among our strategic aspirations, we seek to extend our impact into areas of high need. Our most recent accomplishment is an expansion of our Head Start program into Ward 5 of Washington, DC, serving an additional 80 children from low-income families.

 

Adult & Family Services

To improve health and reduce isolation in adults with disabilities, we offer engaging activities and expansive resources. To sustain families and caregivers, we provide comprehensive services and supports.

  • 57% of Adult Day Service clients are Black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American.
  • Nearly 100% of clients in our ADS receive financial support, ensuring that adults of modest financial means can benefit from this service.
  • Since program inception, 1,270 veterans, military spouses, and adults with disabilities have received career coaching, putting them on the path to finding meaningful employment.

 

Child Development Centers and Head Start/Early Head Start Programs

To help each child reach their full potential, we provide personalized child development and early intervention services.

  • 54% of Child Development Center students are Black, Hispanic, Asian, or of multiple ethnicities.
  • 100% of families served by Easterseals Head Start and Early Head Start programs meet federal low-income guidelines.
  • 19% of students enrolled in Easterseals Child Development programs have a learning or physical disability.

 

Military & Veterans Services

To enable military families to integrate into the community, we provide a suite of services, including employment support and mental healthcare.

  • 49% of Cohen Clinic patients are Black, Hispanic, Asian, or of multiple ethnicities.
  • Of the 211 homeless veterans enrolled in our HVRP program last year, 53 are women.
  • Nearly 60% of the clients placed in a job by the Veteran Staffing Network since 2017 are Black, Hispanic, Asian, or of multiple ethnicities.

* Unless otherwise specified, figures reflect the most recent fiscal year.

 

Key Inclusion Indicators

We hold ourselves accountable that our services are delivering the impact our clients seek. To ensure that, we look to client input to help us set outcomes targets that reflect meaningful progress for our clients within the context of their own goals and desires.

  • 12 parents of children in our CDCs sit on the Parents Advisory Council, which provides critical program feedback and shapes decision making.
  • 10 parents are a part of the Easterseals Head Start Policy Council, giving them a leadership role and voice in important decisions about program spending, classroom activities, and ways to work with community partners.
  • Our Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic conducts monthly client surveys and uses the feedback to inform services.


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