See Easterseals affiliates across the country in the news. If you're interested in featuring an Easterseals affiliate, or would like to speak with a subject matter expert, please visit our Media Room for more information.
Easterseals Southern California — Judy Heumann, Renowned Disability Rights Activist, Conducts Book Club for Easterseals Read More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Esteemed broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff shares her support for Easterseals Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreMay
Easterseals Crossroads— He slowly lost 85% of his vision. Now an Indy father of 2 is spreading message of digital inclusionRead More
Easterseals Central Illinois — Easterseals teletherapy services provide connection, consistency during COVID-19 pandemicRead More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Bush Center: Helping corporate leaders and military families thrive during a pandemic.Read More
Easterseals National — Easterseals CEO Angela Williams launches "Conversations with Angela" with Whitney Mercilus, discussing issues around disability and nonprofit support during COVID-19, and former U.S Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, about mental health.
Easterseals National — Community partners are the key to mitigating acute care demands. Read More
Easterseals National and Southern California — PSA: Celebrated actors with disabilities team with Easterseals on urgent, timely message. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreApril
Easterseals Colorado— Colorado Parent: Staying Home with Disabilities.Read More
Easterseals National— Business Of Giving Radio Interview Highlights Easterseals' Impact During COVID-19.Read More
Easterseals National — Easterseals CEO Angela F. Williams named one of Crain's Notable Women Executives Over 50. Read More
Easterseals New Jersey — In the face of COVID-19, nonprofits that provide services to people with developmental disabilities face unique challenges. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreMarch
Easterseals Michigan — Craig Sharum and Ruth Louwsma were part of a feature on The CW's Community Connect Program. Read More
Easterseals National — The Hill: "Americans with Disabilities Must be Counted in the 2020 Census" by Angela F. Williams. Read More
Easterseals Greater Houston — Comcast's eye controlled technology for their X1 cable platform was recently demonstrated for the clients and community served by Easterseals Greater Houston. Read More
Easterseals National — The Hill: "Preparation for Those Whose Job it is to Care" by Angela F. Williams. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — Easterseals Disability Film Challenge founder Nic Novicki guest stars on ABC's "The Good Doctor." Read More
Easterseals National— Wall Street Journal: "Coronavirus Threatens America's Nonprofits" by Angela F. Williams.Read More
Easterseals Southern California — In response to COVID-19, Easterseals Disability Film Challenge participants and ambassadors create a PSA urging people to do what they can to stop the spread of the virus. The PSA features multi-talented artists and celebrities in the disability community. Read More
Easterseals National — The Hill: "President Trump and Congress: Thank you for protecting the nation's most vulnerable populations" by Angela F. Williams. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreFebruary
Easterseals Serving Greater Waterbury — Easterseals Serving Greater Waterbury has been able to expand their Center for Better Hearing to offer new technologies and hearing test equipment that better serve their community. Read More
Easterseals National — ABILITY Magazine Celebrates 100+ Years of Easterseals. President and CEO, Angela Williams, is interviewed. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — How Easterseals outfitted a smart home for residents with disabilities Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreJanuary
Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley — Dave Burrows, Vice President of Business Services for Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley, is featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary, American Factory. Read More
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center —New Easterseals ambassadors Sandy Ford and Ellie-Jane Pfingston share stories of staying independent and active despite struggles with cerebral palsy. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreevent2019
expand_lessexpand_moreDecember
Easterseals National — Judy Shanley (Easterseals Director, National Center for Mobility Management) discusses how caregivers can get access to resources that will encourage ample mobility for their loved ones in their community. Read More
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center — Courier & Press, a USA Today affiliate, featured the story of Ellie-Jane Pfingston, a six year old client of Easterseals Rehabilitation Center in Evansville, IN. Just four months removed from a spinal surgery, Ellie graciously performed in a children's production of The Nutcracker. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreNovember
Easterseals National — At an awards ceremony in New York City, Easterseals and its PR Agency, the Dalton Group, were recognized with PR News’ 2019 Elite Agency Award in the Government/NGO category for Easterseals’ 100th Anniversary Campaign. Read More
Easterseals New Jersey — Easterseals New Jersey honors a company with a special award for their inclusive and diverse workplace. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — The stars were out at the 40th Annual Media Access awards! This ceremony, in partnership with Easterseals, recognizes the disability community as "a robust, diverse, and integral part of our global fabric" and honors the pioneers that are advancing disability representation in film, television, and new media. Read More
Easterseals Greater Cincinnati — New program provides support for veterans suffering with PTSD and addiction, with support from CVS. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreOctober
Easterseals Florida — Motivational speaker, Kyle Maynard, visits Easterseals Florida and is featured on Fox 13 in Tampa With President and CEO Sue Ventura. Read More
Easterseals National — HR Dive features Easterseals CEO Angela Williams' OpEd on the value of employing people with disabilities during National Disability Employment Awareness Month Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreSeptember
Easterseals Louisiana — New Orleans City Business has named Easterseals Louisiana as a 2019 Nonprofit Leader. Read More
Easterseals North Georgia — Easterseals North Georgia President and CEO Donna Davidson appeared on the nationally syndicated Coffee with America program on Saturday, September 14th, to talk about Easterseals children’s services as children nationwide head back to school. Watch Video
Easterseals Oregon — Carol Salter, Easterseals Oregon President and CEO, and Rebecca Brown, Comcast Director of Community Impact, were interviewed by John Erickson on K103 FM's morning radio show on September 12th. The interview informed listeners about Comcast's Internet Essentials Program and Easterseals Oregon's programs for older adult and veterans who are seeking employment. Internet Essentials provides discounted internet service and access to low-priced desktop or laptop computers for eligible applicants. Listen Here
Easterseals New Hampshire — After nearly 50 years of service, and more than 30 years as President and CEO of Easterseals New Hampshire, Larry Gammon announced his retirement. One of his Board Members, Brad Cook, recently wrote a reflection on Larry's career beginning as a special education teacher and retiring as one of the most respected leaders in Easterseals' history. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — Easterseals promotes inclusion and representation in the workforce throughout October on PR Week. Read More
Easterseals of Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana Counties — Easterseals was visited by members of the San Francisco 49ers. The team was in town to play the Cincinnati Bengals and took advantage of a day off from practice to visit one of the service centers and to join in on some fun activities with the kids. Read More
Easterseals Houston — Cristen Reat, the founder of BridgingApps, was recently featured as one of three Houston innovators to know on the popular site, Innovation Map. Easterseals Greater Houston supported the app in 2011 and has integrated it into their AT therapeutic programs: Read More. Easterseals Greater Houston was also featured in the Houston Business Journal this week, discussing the benefits to having multiple Wi-Fi networks in their service centers - one for staff and business operations, and one for visiting clients and families. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreAugust
Easterseals Central Illinois — Timber Pointe Outdoor Center's recreational camp was featured in a recent ABC News affiliate story. They're enjoying another summer of activity and gearing up for a September 28th Easterseals 100 Bike Ride! Read More
Easterseals Crossroads — President and CEO Patrick Sandy was interviewed by the Indianapolis Recorder about progress made since the ADA became law and opportunities for advances in technology and employer inclusion. Read More
Easterseals UCP North Carolina & Virginia — President and CEO Luanne Welch discusses a career dedicated to serving people with disabilities in a Triangle Business Journal Executive Voice article. Read More
Easterseals Oregon — President and CEO Carol Salter is quoted in a Comcast Oregon announcement that Comcast's discount internet access program, Internet Essentials, will expand eligibility to include all qualified low-income households in its service areas nationwide. Salter states, "Having an Internet connection at home is absolutely vital for low-income people living with disabilities." Read More
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland & Rockford — Rockford NBC affiliate WREX reported that the Easterseals Autism Program received a donation of $28,000 to help people with autism in the Rockford area. Hyundai on Perryville, LawnCare by Walter, and the Rockford IceHogs joined together to donate the money which Easterseals will use to reach more people with its diagnostic technology. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreJuly
Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley — The affiliate recently became a Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) Center of Excellence and President and CEO Theresa Forthofer was appointed by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to serve on the 21-member Illinois Council on Women and Girls. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — President and CEO Mark Whitley's guest column on how disabilities are represented in Toy Story 4 is featured in Variety's July 3rd edition. Read More
Easterseals UCP North Carolina & Virginia — Camp Easterseals UCP celebrated the opening of its new adaptive playground with a ribbon cutting on June 30th. The playground was made possible by a donation from the Roanoke Women’s Foundation and volunteers from Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Ability Experience. Read More
Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley — We are thrilled to announce that Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley has been selected by the Chicago Bears as one of the ten recipients of the Bears100 Community All-Pros initiative! Read More
Easterseals New Hampshire — The affiliate's Autism Services program received a $15,000 grant from the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation to purchase assistive technology for children with autism spectrum disorder in the areas of communication, social skills, self-care and academics. Read More
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center — The Evansville affiliate's driver training program launched 40 years ago, and they recently announced a new Chrysler minivan training vehicle equipped with a modified driving system and controls. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreJune
Easterseals North Georgia — Voyage ATL interviewed Donna Davidson, President and CEO, about their children’s services including childhood mental health, inclusive childcare and early intervention programs. Read More
Easterseals Maine — Portland CBS affiliate WGME Channel 13 featured the state’s Veterans Count program and Maine’s Heroes Wall. Veterans Count services include employment counseling, emergency financial assistance, support for mental health and well-being, and deployment support. Over 200 veterans were assisted in 2018 through the program. Read More
Easterseals New Hampshire — Veterans Count received $10,000 in funding to assist veterans, service members, and their families from RagingBull.com Foundation on the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 6th. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreMay
Easterseals / Easterseals Thrive — Video games are a 'great equalizer' for people with disabilities. Read More
Easterseals in Chicago — Easterseals is not only still around — it’s big, important and based in Chicago. Read More
Easterseals Northern Ohio — Easterseals Northern Ohio is celebrating 100 years. Read More
Easterseals of New Jersey — Easterseals celebrates centennial enriching the lives of people with disabilities. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreApril
Easterseals Central Illinois — Easterseals Central Illinois stages annual fashion show fundraiser for April. Read More
Easterseals — A Future Where Veterans are 100% Included and Empowered. Read More
Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida — Easterseals offer hope, support on Autism Awareness Day. Read More
Easterseals of New Jersey — Easterseals Opens In Hoboken: Services For Seniors, Special Needs. Read More
Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania — Community effort helps make disability-inclusive playground a reality in State College. Read More
Easterseals / Project SEARCH — Leaders from Intuit, Cisco, other companies promote disability inclusion at Jupiter conference. Read More
Easterseals — What is that orange light in the city? Buildings mark Easterseals' 100th. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreMarch
Easterseals North Georgia — "Coffee with America" sits down with the CEO of Easterseals of North Georgia to discuss the organization's 100th anniversary. Watch
Easterseals Arkansas — Easterseals excitement: Yearly Fashion Event warmed hearts, produced smiles and raised funds. Read More
Easterseals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain — The 'Respect Rally' gives people an opportunity to learn first hand about respect and acceptance by advocating for inclusion to end discrimination of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Read More
Easterseals New Hampshire — Larry Gammon has made a remarkable difference in the lives of many in New Hampshire. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — John Penotti and Phil Lord to mentor 2019 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Winners. Read More
Easterseals Michigan — Easterseals first in U.S. to offer intergenerational trauma support. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreFebruary
Easterseals New Jersey — Easterseals NJ helps celebrate national organization's 100th anniversary. Read More
National Aging and Disability Transportation Center / Easterseals — Database offers alternative-ride info for seniors, ADA clientele. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — Easterseals Southern California launches powerful ‘We Celebrate’ ad campaign celebrating disability inclusion and the organization’s 100th Anniversary. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreJanuary
Easterseals — Easterseals President and CEO Angela Williams talks about veterans with disabilities and their families remaining a top priority for the organization. Read More
Easterseals Central Illinois — Blake Scribner celebrates 100-years of Easterseals in style. Read More
Easterseals Massachusetts — Dedham’s Matthew Jameson joins Easterseals float at Tournament of Roses parade. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — The Easterseals 2019 Rose Parade float is recognized for the “Leishman Public Spirit Award." Read More
Easterseals Southern California / Easterseals — Announcement of Easterseals’ participation in the 2019 Rose Parade. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreevent2018
expand_lessexpand_moreDecember
Easterseals Midwest — Check out this recognition of Easterseals Midwest CEO Wendy Sullivan in the St. Louis Business Journal. Read More
Easterseals Arc – Old National Bank’s first Culinary Queens event in Fort Wayne on November 10th raised more than $254,000 for Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana. Learn More
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center – Evansville’s Easterseals Early Learning Center won a $10,000 prize for its family engagement efforts. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreNovember
CENTURY 21® — Century 21 CEO Nick Bailey was interviewed about home ownership for people with disabilities. At the end of the piece, Nick talks about C21’s sole philanthropic partner Easterseals and how we will celebrate 40 years of partnership next year. Watch
Easterseals Southern California – Did you see the “Abilities Unlimited” advertorials on Variety’s website? Features include interviews with Millicent Simmonds, Nic Novicki, Mark Whitley, Fred Maahs and more! Read More
Easterseals Arkansas – In an article about parents of children with special needs, Easterseals Arkansas representative Karen Craig addressed the role parents play as advocates and caregivers. Learn More
Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati — Congratulations to Easterseals Serving Greater Cincinnati for their $250,000 award from the Citi Foundation in support of their YouthBuild program. Read More
Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania — The Thomas L Cline Foundation awarded a $77,000 grant to Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania for a new afterschool program to be held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Along with serving a local need, this program will also work to reintroduce Easterseals services within Adams County.
Easterseals of Mahoning, Trumbull, and Columbiana — We were so thrilled to hear that the affiliate led a training for local law enforcement on best practices in effectively communicating with the deaf community. Learn More
Easterseals Greater Waterbury — This affiliate got a superb shoutout on their local Fox affiliate's "Coffee Cup Salute" segment. Check out Easterseals' feature here. Watch
Easterseals Southeastern Pennsylvania — Congratulations to the affiliate for receiving a $20,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation as part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund. Read More
Easterseals DuPage and Fox Valley — Easterseals clients were photographed by photography students from the College of DuPage. Their work was recently displayed at a reception to celebrate. Learn More
expand_lessexpand_moreOctober
Easterseals Michigan — Congratulations to Easterseals Michigan for being awarded a $2.5M grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration to be used for a new infant and early childhood mental health program. Read More
Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana — The Eric A. and Mary C. Baade Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to Easterseals Arc. This award will be used for upgrades at the agency’s Broadway house, where Easterseals Arc provides supervised visitation for families referred by the Department of Child Services. The project will help create a comfortable, safe environment for the families. Learn More
Easterseals Alabama — The affiliate’s local Rotary Club pledged $10,000 in support of Easterseals Alabama’s recently opened community health clinic. Read More
Easterseals Southern Georgia — Check out this nice profile of Easterseals Southern Georgia’s new CEO, John McCain. Read More
Goodwill Easterseals-Miami Valley — Watch this in-depth feature a local news outlet ran of the affiliate. Watch
Easterseals Michigan — The affiliate’s “Over the Edge” event took place this weekend in Grand Rapids. 60 people participated raising more than $100,000. Learn More
Easterseals New Jersey — Hoboken’s Homelessness Task Force has worked out an agreement for the City to lease a piece of City property to Easterseals, for the annual rate of $1 to offer supportive employment services for adults with special needs and employment training and preparedness services for seniors looking to reenter the workforce. Read More
Easterseals Iowa — Watch this video about the affiliate’s adaptive obstacle course at Camp Sunnyside. Learn More
Easterseals Michigan — The affiliate is one of four Michigan community mental health centers selected as the state’s first Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, and will receive $4M in funding over the next to year. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreSeptember
Easterseals DC MD VA — The affiliate has received a $21.8M grant to expand their Head Start programs for children age birth to five years from low-income families in Prince George County, Maryland. Learn More
Easterseals New Hampshire — The affiliate recently merged with The Homemakers Home Health Services of Rochester. The Homemakers services (in-home medical & non-medical care, as well as a facility-based adult day program) will now fall under the umbrella of Easterseals New Hampshire. Read More
Easterseals Michigan — As mentioned in a previous version of the Leadership Update, the affiliate is now an approved autism evaluation center by the Blue Care Network and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Check out this great write-up about the accomplishment. Learn More
Easterseals Central Illinois — An anonymous donor has pledged $4M to help build a new YMCA-Easterseals facility. Read More
Easterseals New York — The affiliate celebrated the grand opening of their New Kessler Center playground. Learn More
Easterseals Southeast Wisconsin — Read how a young man with autism was able to find a job in a lab through Project SEARCH. Read More
Easterseals Southern Georgia — Check out this lovely feature about President and CEO Beth English’s time with Easterseals and the impact she has made on her community. Read More
Easterseals New Jersey — A news crew from Univision dropped by one of the affiliate's locations yesterday to film a segment on their employment services. Watch
Easterseals Southern California — Advocates from Easterseals Southern California visited the offices of Assemblymember Chris Holden in Pasadena recently to thank the legislator and his staff for their tremendous work in securing $25 million in funding from the legislature that will allow developmental disability service providers to begin to bridge the gap between the new minimum wage requirements and service provider payment rates. Learn More
Easterseals New Hampshire — Watch Easterseals Community Based Services client Dave Jenne sing 'This Is Me' at the National Home & Community Based Service Conference. The affiliate won first prize in the Conference's video contest. Watch Now
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Rockford — Listen to a 30 second radio ad spot that the affiliate recorded with Huntington Bank in Chicago. The ad will run 164 times during the 8 week period, which started yesterday. The ads will run on WBBM and WXRT in Chicago. Listen
Easterseals Southern California — Check out this article in Shondaland written by disability rights activist and Easterseals Southern California ambassador Lora Glassman. Read More
Easterseals Bay Area — The affiliate recently opened their Kaleidoscope Community Adult Program to support individuals with developmental disabilities. Learn More
expand_lessexpand_moreAugust
Easterseals Northeast Central Florida — The affiliate is partnering with Dedicated Senior Medical Centers in Jacksonville, FL, to distribute enhanced-audio phones provided by the state to more than 500 hearing-impaired seniors. Read More
Easterseals Louisiana — Congratulations to President and CEO, Tracy Garner, for being awarded the 2018 Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO) Force for Good Leadership Award. See More
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Rockford — Easterseals Academy at the affiliate recently completed a new accessible vocation garden. It features six ground-level cedar garden beds and four elevated wheelchair accessible garden bed tables. Learn More
Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley — Congratulations to the affiliate for being awarded an innovation grant from the United Way. The grants were awarded based on programs that "were innovative, promoted health, education and self sufficiency in the community and had the most impact in the community." Read More
Easterseals Michigan — Check out this photo of Aretha Franklin answering phones for an Easterseals Michigan telethon. Also be sure to check out this article in which Easterseals was mentioned about Aretha Franklin's performances in the nation's capitol. Learn More
Easterseals New Hampshire — Check out this spotlight on the impact of Easterseals New Hampshire’s care coordination program. Read More
Easterseals West Kentucky — Easterseals West Kentucky’s CEO Danny Caroll talked about the safeguards in place at their affiliate to protect donors’ dollars. Learn More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Congratulations to the affiliate for winning the 2018 Board Leadership Award from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. “The award recognizes the role boards play in building and sustaining successful organizations.” Read More
Easterseals New Hampshire — Easterseals New Hampshire recently won first place in a video contest for the National Home & Community Based Service Conference. Check out their version of the song "This is Me" from The Greatest Showman, performed by Dave Jenne. Watch
Easterseals Southern Georgia — Watch this inspiring video from Easterseals Southern Georgia and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen about disability and employment. Watch
expand_lessexpand_moreJuly
Easterseals Michigan — The affiliate, along with two Michigan townships, are joining forces to build an adaptive baseball field. Learn More
Easterseals National — Easterseals was featured on Upworthy as one of six nonprofits making sure freedom and justice are delivered to all Americans. Read More
Easterseals Washington — The Partners Group sponsored a staff appreciation event for the Camp Stand By Me staff at Easterseals Washington. Learn More
Easterseals Southern California — The Mighty wrote a feature story on how Easterseals is challenging filmmaking and the way in which it’s including people with disabilities with the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Read More
Easterseals Greater Houston — Check out this mention of the affiliate's BridgingApps program in an article about accessibility apps. Learn More
Easterseals Central Illinois — "A small center to prepare children with autism for kindergarten and first grade has opened and already is looking to expand in the fall." Read More
Easterseals Capper Foundation — Participants at the adult services program were honored with a celebration including fun awards, lunch and games. Learn More
Easterseals Southern California — The affiliate just received a $1.75M gift to expand their adult day services from the David and Molly Pyott Foundation, founded by Board Chair Molly Pyott and her husband, philanthropist and former CEO of Allergan David Pyott. Read More
Easterseals Arkansas — Easterseals Arkansas will now provide students with disabilities the opportunity to learn basic work skills. Learn More
expand_lessexpand_moreJune
Easterseals/Goodwill Rocky Mountain — CEO Michelle Belknap submitted this Letter to the Editor to the Montana Standard regarding a VA bill passage. Read More
Easterseals New Jersey — Read more about Easterseals New Jersey's "Play With Purpose" event, which raised more than $100,000 while educating the community about the importance of inclusion and accessible recreation. Learn More
Easterseals Arkansas — Twelve students with disabilities earned their diplomas from the University of Arkansas Little Rock. Learn more about the partnership between Easterseals and the University that helped these students achieve their dreams. Read More
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center — Speaking of graduation, check out this adorable video of the recent preschool graduation at the Indiana affiliate. Watch
Easterseals New Hampshire — The affiliate's Veterans Count program is now offering even more resources to veterans in the area. Learn More here and here
Easterseals Southern California — This affiliate was featured in a great video created by @WeAreTheMighty about Bob Hope's Legacy. Check it out
Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana — Check out this column written by Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana President and CEO Donna Elbrecht and the president of the Fort Wayne region for Old National Bank about disability and employment. Read More
Easterseals Greater Waterbury (CT) — See the recipients for post-secondary scholarships awarded by Easterseals to students with disabilities. Learn More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Vardly St. Preux was a veteran that became homeless due to mental illness, and because of Easterseals, was able to get back on his feet. Read More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Easterseals DC MD VA President and CEO Jonathan Horowitch joined other national leaders in the inaugural class of the Bush Institute's Stand-To Veteran Leadership program at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas. Learn More
Easterseals Crossroads — Sam Schultz was a 25-year-old IUPUI graduate who suffered a serious brain injury that left her without the ability to walk, talk, and eat. With the help of Easterseals, she is on the road to recovery. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreMay
Easterseals Southern California — Check out this feature of the Disability Film Challenge on CNN. Watch Now
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center — The wives of PGA Tour Players visited this affiliate to spend time with the children at their preschool and day care centers, and present a $1,500 check and books. Read More
Easterseals Michigan — The mother of a teen with autism shares what she wants others to know about interacting with people on the autism spectrum. Learn More
Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana — “More than 100 people representing 34 families with children or adults on the autism spectrum came to Fort Wayne International Airport for some flight training, sponsored by Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana.” Read More
Easterseals Greater Cincinnati — Participants in the affiliate’s YouthBuild program rallied together to make home repairs for a Vietnam veteran. Learn more
Easterseals Capper Foundation — This affiliate held an autism summit to discuss ways parents, relatives, caregivers and educators could support someone with autism. Read More
Easterseals Midwest — Read this thought leadership piece from the affiliate's Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer Tom Barry on fundraising and tax reform. Read More
Easterseals Blake Foundation — IDG's CIO announced Easterseals Blake Foundation as a recipient of the 2018 CIO 100. The 31st annual award program recognizes organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology (IT). Learn More
Easterseals Southern California — The votes are in! The winners of the Disability Film Challenge were announced with Carl Hansen's "Check Mate" taking the top prize. Read Variety's coverage
expand_lessexpand_moreApril
Easterseals Central Illinois — Learn more about the new space Easterseals Central Illinois will share with the YMCA to benefit the Bloomington-Normal community. Read More
Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania — This Autism Acceptance Month, check out how Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania is supporting people with autism and their families. Learn More
Easterseals Goodwill Miami Valley — Check out how Easterseals Goodwill Miami Valleyis partnering with a hotel call center to provide dozens of jobs for people with visual impairments. Read More
Easterseals Southern California — We thank Warner Bros. for their generous donation! Read More
Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley — President and CEO of Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley, Theresa Forthofer discusses the importance of adaptive apparel with USA Today. Read More
Easter Seals of Eastern Pennsylvania — Congratulations to this affiliate for being one of 52 organizations in Pennsylvania to receive a grant from the Comcast Foundation. This allowed them to fund the Interactive Metronome, "an assessment and training tool that improves neurotiming for patients across the therapy spectrum — such as those with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Sensory Processing Disorder." Read More
Easterseals Midwest — A first-of-its kind program is helping young adults on the autism spectrum master the skills necessary to find a career path. Read More
Easterseals Rehabilitation Center — Congratulations to the affiliate for raising $119,465 at their local telethon. Learn More
Easterseals Southern California — Watch this feature of the Disability Film Challenge on Hollywood Minute. Watch
Easterseals Joliet Region — In eight hours, this affiliate raised $188,460 through its annual telethon. Read More
Easterseals Blake Foundation — This affiliate recently launched their behavioral health outpatient facility, offering a variety of treatments to people of all ages. Learn More
Easterseals Capper Foundation — Check out the affiliate's "An Evening as a Child" event. Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreMarch
Easterseals Southern Georgia — Executive Director Beth English announced her retirement from the affiliate, which will take place at the end of September. Read More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Dr. Tracy Neal-Walden, Senior Vice President and Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Easterseals, will be a featured moderator at a prestigious event for the military and veteran community hosted by the National Academy of Sciences. Learn More
Easterseals Southern Georgia — Easterseals vocational participant Cody Slusher's visit to the Century 21 conference was featured in the Sylvester Local News. Check out the clips here and here.
Easterseals Southern California — "As part of a three-year partnership and inclusion awareness campaign focused on disability, ESSC will host special screenings of CinemAbility and participate in other promotional opportunities. Gold Pictures will showcase ESSC’s logo in all marketing efforts, highlight the nonprofit on its social media platforms and build relationships on behalf of ESSC with Hollywood leaders and celebrity influencers to further efforts to raise awareness within the entertainment industry." Read More
Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania — Their Make the First Five Count program was featured in a televised segment by the regional news outlet. Watch the Video
Easterseals Maine — On March 29th, Easterseals Maine and Veterans Count will host their third annual Radiothon to benefit their Military and Veterans Services, through which they hope to raise $100K. Tune in on WGAN.com to check out this 12-hour event, which will feature local celebrities and government officials as well as (and most importantly) the veterans they serve.
Easterseals New Jersey — Check out this impact video Easterseals New Jersey produced to share how supporters helped them make a difference in the lives of over 9,000 individuals with disabilities and those who care about them. Watch the Video
Easterseals UCP North Carolina and Virginia — Did you know this affiliate offers services related to foster care? Watch this inspiring video to learn more. Watch the Video
Easterseals Southwest Human Development — Read the affiliate's wonderful spotlight on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, including Harmony's story. Read More
Easterseals Iowa — This affiliate just launched their blog at the beginning of the year. Read a great post from a former camp counselor at their own Camp Sunnyside. Learn More
Easterseals Southern California — Check out this guest column in Variety, written by Nic Novicki and Mark Whitley, about disability representation in Hollywood. Read More
Easterseals Central Illinois — A wonderful success story of a young child with autism who receives services from this affiliate. Learn More
Easterseals Colorado — Check out the great work this affiliate is doing with their Disability Friendly Employers Program, which acts as a Better Business Bureau for businesses that employ people with disabilities. Read More
Easterseals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain — This affiliate participated in a 'Spread the Word to End the Word' rally to bring attention to the harmful effects of the "R-word". Read More
Easterseals New Hampshire — Employee Stephanie Higgs, who works with the affiliate's Military and Veterans services, wrote a column titled "Appeal to employers: Local veterans in need of work" to connect veterans with employers. Learn More
Easterseals Eastern Pennsylvania — Congratulations to this affiliate for being one of 52 organizations in Pennsylvania to receive a grant from the Comcast Foundation. This allowed them to fund the Interactive Metronome, "an assessment and training tool that improves neurotiming for patients across the therapy spectrum — such as those with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Sensory Processing Disorder." Read More
expand_lessexpand_moreFebruary
Easterseals New Jersey — Christine Dante, Assistant Vice President of Employment Services from Easterseals New Jersey, spoke with Comcast Newsmakers about hiring and accommodating people with disabilities. Watch the video
Easterseals Midwest — A wonderful feature story about Easterseals Midwest's community impact. Read More
Easterseals New Hampshire — LTC Partners pledged $50,000 to Easterseals New Hampshire's Veterans Count program. Learn More
Easterseals Central Illinois — Check out this success story featuring a young boy who is reaching his milestones with the help of Easterseals Central Illinois. Read More
Easterseals DC MD VA — Jon Horowitch wrote a great article on the key takeaways of the affiliate’s work with Carly Fiorina’s Unlocking Potential nonprofit to strengthen their leadership capacity. Read More
Easterseals Washington — This affiliate is creating a Technology Achievement Center at its adult services program with a grant from Comcast. Learn more about the Center
Easterseals of Southern Georgia — The affiliate’s Megan’s House is officially open! “The home provides quality respite care for children ages 0-17 who have developmental disabilities, a diagnosis of autism or who are medically fragile.” Read More
Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut — This affiliate was awarded a $20,000 Comcast grant. Learn More
Easterseals Central Illinois — A wonderful success story about a young boy with autism. Read More
Easterseals Central Ohio — Congrats to this affiliate for receiving a 5 Star Step Up to Quality Rating from the State of Ohio!
Easterseals DC MD VA — The Kessler Foundation has awarded a second Signature Employment Grant to Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA to launch Easterseals Disability Staffing Network (EDSN, pronounced "Edison"). Learn More
Taking Pride In Being Different: Reflecting on Being Non-Binary and Autistic
Monday, June 5, 2023, 11:57 AM
by guest blogger, Liz Johnson. I knew I was non-binary before I knew I was autistic. But neither wer…
Liz Johnson. Photo by Rialin José.
by guest blogger, Liz Johnson.
I knew I was non-binary before I knew I was autistic. But neither were surprising to me, truthfully.
I am not the first, and I’m certainly not the last, to be at this intersection of identity.
Research from a 2020 study cites gender-diverse people are three to six times more likely to be autistic than those that are cisgender.
Before I even knew I was trans or autistic, I knew myself to be strange – both because other kids called me that, and because it was one of those lingering suspicions. But I owned that early, befriending fellow playground weirdos and saying “thank you” anytime another child would bestow the word “weird” upon me in an insult. I had an understanding that being a little odd would always feel more comfortable to me than changing parts of myself that I cherished to fit an expectation of normalcy. As I got older, this internal acceptance of difference, though sometimes hard-fought, made it easy to interrogate, accept, and love my non-binary identity. Early on, I understood the expectation of heteronormativity – the societal expectation to be heterosexual as the standard – already having come out as bisexual at thirteen. It was no shock the same normative standard would apply to gender.
I remember feeling like, as much as I experimented with clothing, I wasn’t getting the gender euphoria I wanted. The absolute joy I got when people saw me as my full self in other facets just wasn’t clicking when it came to my gender. Long curly hair, a girlish nickname, and she/her pronouns just weren’t feeling suited to me – like a sweater I could admire on somebody else but fit me all wrong. Research being a favorite dual purpose coping mechanism/hobby of mine, and human psychology and sexuality being an intersection of special interest, I dove into researching why I felt the way I did about gender. A deep dive through the internet, combing through explanatory breakdowns of queer theory, to expansive lists of gender identity labels, left me to land on simply identifying as the label I felt suited me best – non-binary. I had friends who were having a lot of the same feelings. When I shared this identity with them first at seventeen – asking them to use my new name, use gender neutral pronouns – it was a safe way for me to confirm that being non-binary feels like home to me. I was lucky to have a supportive family as well, being surrounded by a community that supported and affirmed me, I could truly be myself. I think this identity and my relationship to it has grown with time. As I get to know myself better, I live in it more fully. It was the right fit then and it is the right fit now.
Liz behind the scenes of a music video. Photo by Rialin José.
I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder just this year, at twenty-six. I got here after similarly winding rabbit holes of research and a steady influx of my community support. I’m still settling into it all, but it definitely made so much of my life make more sense – in a lot of the same ways finding the words for my gender did. But beyond that, understanding how some of the idiosyncrasies of my mind worked was such a relief. I already had a diagnosis of ADHD given at twenty-one, so neurodiversity isn’t a stranger to me. In fact, across my circles of friends, most of my friends were neurodivergent anyway in the same way that a lot of my friends are queer and trans too. We tend to find each other somehow! My autistic friends were intrinsic to helping me understand myself as an autistic person in addition to having ADHD. Again, being a sounding board for my feelings just as the times in my teens when I had been processing my gender. My family showed up again in a new way, some of them asking the same questions about behaviors and feelings they had day-to-day, eagerly awaiting my assessment results. I was happy to be the person that could deliver the news that I was autistic, and start conversations on what that not only looked like for me, but be a support for my loved ones wondering what it looks like for them.
Access to the information to get the understanding of myself has come from a combined force of my support system, wider community of people who share my identities, and the internet as a whole. Looking back, it was vastly easier to uncover and affirm my gender identity than it was to gain an autism diagnosis. People assigned female at birth have a harder time getting diagnosed. “A fundamental issue with the current diagnostic methods is that the behavioral markers used as criteria are established on pre-existing conceptions of what autistic behaviors look like. These criteria have been developed based on the predominantly white male populations previously identified as autistic” (Hull et al. 2020). Not every person’s experience of autism will look the same. I mask highly, and the way I stim with finger tapping and knee-bouncing, just as an example, can be overlooked as a stimming behavior. I’m learning more about how I can feel at home as an autistic individual, and the autistic community around me is instrumental in that.
There is an intersection of queerness that aligns with one of the great strengths of neurodiversity. Both communities value questioning normative standards and challenging the societal expectations put on us. The kind of weirdness I’ve always felt for being different than the expectation is not only understood by trans and autistic people alike but, more often than not, celebrated by both. I celebrate it, too. Neurodiversity manifests in many ways as does gender diversity. No one individual’s experience with gender, nor being autistic, will be exactly the same. Existing on the spectrums of both empowers me to be my fullest and truest self, and I’m inspired by all the people who join me at this intersection.
Liz is a queer & disabled writer, filmmaker, and multimedia artist. They are a Columbia College Chicago graduate and current freelancer with a broad portfolio, and pride themselves on being a jack-of-all-trades (and master of a few).
Behind the Screen: Conversations with a Disability Advocate and Filmmaker
Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 12:17 PM
As a teenager, Alexander Freeman was weary about listening to his mom’s suggestion of taking a…
As a teenager, Alexander Freeman was weary about listening to his mom’s suggestion of taking a film class in high school, but he eventually gave in. Years later, he admits his mom was right – taking that class inspired a new passion with the medium and launched his career. “I took the class and absolutely fell in love…I think, on a really basic level as humans, we are drawn to [it] and we can’t help but listen to what’s happening on the screen,” Alexander explained.
Now an award-winning filmmaker and disability-rights activist, Alexander was recently featured in LA Weekly Magazine for his documentary, The Last Taboo. The documentary explores the topic of sexuality and intimacy from the eyes of disabled adults. Alexander has Cerebral Palsy and uses his own experiences and the true experiences of others to inspire his work. His other documentary,The Wounds We Cannot See, which shares one woman’s real battle with addiction, PTSD, and mental illness, is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.
Alexander described how filmmaking took the utmost priority in his life at an early age: “I didn’t really have a ton of friends in high school or a lot of room to socialize, so I was just like, ‘I don’t need people’ – I am just going to focus on what I am good at. So, all through high school, I made films.”
That focus paid off. “At the end of school, I got very lucky because I caught the attention of a production company,” he said. That company saw Alexander’s work and immediately offered to finance his next project. From there, his career began.
When asked about his connection to Easterseals, Alexander laughed, “I really think Easterseals is in my blood!”
It was Alexander’s parents who got him involved with Easterseals Massachusetts. He recalled, “My parents were like, okay, we have a child with disabilities, what do we do? What kind of services are out there? And Easterseals was there for [them].”
Alexander on location filming The Wounds We Cannot See.
Alexander shared, “A lot of the technology that I used was directly from Easterseals, so I started working with an Easterseals technology specialist when I was really little, and then that continued as I got older and grew up.”
Alexander has one thing he wants everyone to take away from his story: “I am only where I am today because of a lot of people who helped me along the way, and I think that is a very important lesson, not just for me or people with disabilities, but a lesson to people in general…No one gets where they are on their own. Everyone must have moments where they have to look back and say thank you for all your help.”
Alexander’s disability advocacy continues the spirit of helping others along the way. His latest project, a YouTube series titled Life with Cerebral Palsy | Q & A, is described on his film production company OUTCAST Productions’ YouTube channel as “Everything you wanted to know about living with a disability, especially cerebral palsy, but didn’t know how to ask.”
To keep up with his continuing work, you can follow Alexander on Instagram, @realalexanderfreeman.
A Trip to DC: Press Briefings, Panel Discussions and Sharing the Room with the President
Friday, May 19, 2023, 12:13 PM
It’s not every day you share the stage with a rising star in the television world, but it happ…
It’s not every day you share the stage with a rising star in the television world, but it happened for me!
Ben speaking at the Capitol Visitors Center
In Washington, D.C., I had the distinct honor of participating in the release of Easterseals’ brand-spanking new “State of Disability Equity and Access,” a special report showcasing the improvements made for the disability community since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act 33 years ago. More importantly, the report serves as a call-to-action for the necessary improvements to ensure full inclusion for future generations – a compelling reason to travel 12 hours by car to D.C., I’d say.
On stage at the historic National Press Club, I joined the transportation panel, moderated by MSNBC’s Symone Sanders. She’s incredible, and if I’m being honest, I felt right at home on stage interacting with one of television’s most popular hosts. I’ve never met an unfriendly microphone! Our panel discussed developments that have eased travel for people with disabilities, but I focused on the importance of improving the airlines to be more accessible for wheelchair users.
This isn’t a new story. A decade ago, I traveled to Washington, D.C., with a plan and a petition, advocating for more accessible airlines, desiring a system where I could fly without having to get out of my own wheelchair. The reality is, as I told The Advocate, I haven’t flown since my injury – it’s too dangerous. The current system risks major harm to my chair, and even possibly long-term health concerns. It’s not right, and I’m elated that Easterseals has joined this fight for flight!
Enjoying the Lincoln Memorial at night
Prior to my on-stage, under-the-lights discussion with Symone Sanders, we officially unveiled the report during a press briefing at the Capitol Visitors Center – a fairly new addition to the Capitol Building. Tucked inside a room that has been used for major press briefings, I spoke alongside Easterseals CEO, Kendra Davenport; Jessica Tuman, VP, VOYA Cares; Ehrhardt Preitauer, president and CEO, Caresource; and outstanding disability advocate Emily Ladau, and Kathleen Perez of the Coelho Center, who helped produce the report. Boy, was I in good company, with a group of passionate inclusion activists assembled in DC with a vision for the future. Every time I travel to D.C., something special happens – this time was no different.
Speaking of special, for the first time, our group visited the Lincoln Memorial and laid our eyes on D.C., at night, where you can actually see the reflection of the Washington Memorial in the reflecting pool. We saw and snapped a photo with Cory Booker as he was leaving the Capitol. I was even in the same hotel, the Washington Hilton, as the President of the United States!
Meeting Senator Cory Booker
Yep, when we arrived at our hotel, the woman behind the desk asked us, “will you be leaving the hotel in your car tomorrow? If so, it will be difficult if not impossible, as this place will be crawling with Secret Service.” I had to ask, “why is that?” The woman replies, “the president will be here.” My mother retorts in a very serious tone, “the president of WHAT?” The woman replies, “the President of the United States, ma’am.” Only in DC! And you better believe I worked my way into the room with President Biden!
What a trip. Sharing the same room, albeit a large conference, as the president, sharing the stage with a television star, observing the reflection pool at night, talking with Cory Booker (who, I might add, was a very kind gentleman, chatting with kids from Indianapolis before snapping a photo with me), being with my Easterseals friends, and hanging with my Change for Balance colleagues as we worked the Easterseals forum. It was absolutely another successful trip to our nation’s capitol.
Overall, my hope, and the hopes of every single one of the panelists, advocates, and champions as a part of this experience, are for the next generation of people with disabilities. Our hope is that children with disabilities will see the airlines not as a barrier, but an opportunity to explore the world. Our hope is for teenagers with disabilities to dream endlessly about their future careers, not seeing corporate America as unattainable. We have hope.
I’m a dreamer, but I believe, together, we can create a more inclusive world for all of us.
But then again, maybe I’m just starstruck from my time on stage with Symone.