Easter Seals: Disability Services for All

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Easter Seals is a non-profit organization that has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs and their families live better lives for nearly 100 years. Easter Seals provides exceptional services and support so that people affected by autism and other disabilities can overcome life's challenges and achieve their personal goals.

The beginnings of Easter Seals can be traced back to 1907, when businessman Edgar Allen lost his son in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio prompted Allen to sell his business and launch a fundraising campaign to build a hospital. Through the hospital, Allen discovered that children with disabilities were often hidden from the public. This led him to start the National Society for Crippled Children, the first organization of its kind, in 1919.

Fifteen years later, the National Society for Crippled Children introduced its Easter “seals” campaign to raise money for its services. The first seal was designed by Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist J.H. Donahey, and donors placed it on envelopes and letters to show their support. The campaign turned out to be a huge success, and by the 1960s, the Easter “seal” had become so well-recognized that the National Society for Crippled Children officially changed its name to Easter Seals.

Today, Easter Seals helps over a million children and adults living with disabilities and special needs and their families each year. The organization's main services include children's sevices, adult and senior services, medical rehabilitation, employment and training, and camping and recreation. Through a network of over 550 sites in America and Ability First Australia, Easter Seals delivers innovative and family-focused services that are customized to meet the needs of each community served. Easter Seals relies on 23,000 staff members, thousands of volunteers, and countless supporters to carry out its mission.