Below is a statement from Easterseals President and CEO Kendra Davenport:
“Every day, Easterseals' 37,000 employees provide essential services to children and adults with disabilities, aging adults, veterans, and their families in communities across the country. We make a lasting impact in the lives of 1.5 million people annually by providing care and support at every stage of life.
Hardworking American families who depend on organizations like Easterseals for food, housing, health care, and job training should never have to go through another day like today. For them, and those who serve them, it was a day of heartache, chaos, panic, and real fear. In thousands of communities all across America. And there may be more pain on the horizon with talk of cuts to Medicaid and other programs that help Americans keep their heads above water.
Everybody wants to make sure every federal dollar is spent wisely. But we need to do it in a way that protects veterans, aging adults, and more than 1 in 4 Americans with a disability. Now that a federal court has put a temporary pause on the grant freeze, let’s do a reset. We can have responsible government spending and support hardworking American families.”
Here's just one story of what’s at stake and why we need to get it right.
From Kristen Rantz, President/CEO of Easterseals Oregon:
“An immediate halt to federal grant funding has devastating consequences for our community in Oregon, putting some of our most vulnerable populations at risk. Currently, 249 veteran households—including an additional 78 children and spouses—are receiving vital housing assistance to help them regain stability. Without access to these federal funds, these families face the very real threat of returning to homelessness. Additionally, 277 low-income older adults are enrolled in paid training programs through SCSEP, a lifeline that provides not only job training but also the financial means to afford food and maintain housing. These federal grants are not just funding streams; they are essential lifelines that veterans, seniors, and their families rely on during pivotal moments of transition and recovery. Cutting off these resources would strip away critical support, pushing many back into crisis and undermining the progress they have worked so hard to achieve.”
