The Rise of Easterseals
This week, Easter will be observed by many families around the country. Every time I think of this celebration, I think about the word rising. Whoever you are, whatever your beliefs, I think we can all relate to the concept of rising out of one place to start anew in another.
I thought this would be the perfect time to tell you about the rise of Easterseals. As many of you know, I’ve worked for Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley (GESMV) for 19 years. Getting this job was my first introduction to Goodwill’s mission, but it wasn’t my first encounter with Easterseals. When I was young, Easterseals services helped my family get a feeding machine for me. They have been helping seniors and people with disabilities for a very long time.
Established in 1919, Easterseals was founded by Edgar A. Allen in Elyria, OH, after he lost his son in a tragic streetcar accident. The experience motivated him to create an organization that would help children with disabilities get the necessary medical services that were often too expensive for their families.
I often question the lack of affordability of support services for people with disabilities. Based on Edgar’s story, this is not a new problem. Why is it that when people with disabilities find a tool, device, or therapy that can really enhance their lives, the cost is astronomical? I know money makes the world go round, but we need to make changes to adjust these high-priced items, because the cost is people’s independence.
To raise funds for his Easterseals mission, Edgar launched a campaign in the spring of 1934 with colorful seals people could put onto their mail. I bet some of you still have a few of them today. If not, I bet your grandparents do! The campaign was cool, and the decision to make the Easter lily the official flower in 1952 was genius. What a clever marketing tactic! Because of the campaign’s overall success, Easterseals officially changed its name in 1967.
Easterseals would later widen its scope to assist veterans who had been injured following World War I and adults with disabilities. The organization also played a big part in the Americans with Disabilities Act being passed in 1990. Nationally, Easterseals helps over 1.5 million people every year! I’m so happy that I’m in that number.
So, how did Easterseals and Goodwill wind up together here in the Miami Valley? I’m glad you asked! In 1934, our organization opened its doors as a Goodwill affiliate and focused on assisting people to live independently through job training and job placement services. This important endeavor in the community was based on the Goodwill model of focusing on empowering people through the dignity of work.
In 1999, we combined with Easterseals, which gave us the opportunity to expand programs to include children and seniors, broadening our scope of support for the communities we serve.
Today, this powerful combination known as Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley (GESMV) empowers people with disabilities and other barriers to achieve independence and a higher quality of life. Our Dayton-based agency serves individuals and families through 40+ local programs in 29 counties across Ohio's Miami Valley and beyond!
How do we do it? Well, every time you shop or donate at a GESMV retail store, you become part of our mission. That's because 87¢ of every $1 from the resale of your gently used goods directly supports our programs. These include job skills training for every ability and background, counseling services, child screenings, and adult day programs for seniors and individuals with disabilities. We call that positive change!
As I celebrate Easter this year, I will be sure to remember how Easterseals helped me to rise to my potential and become the advocate I am today, and how the programs at GESMV continue to support our vision for a community where everyone can belong, contribute, and thrive.