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Since 1926, Easter Seals Wisconsin has been creating life-changing solutions for individuals with disabilities and their families. Whether providing recreational opportunities for children, respite care for families, helping farmers continue to farm after a disabling accident or illness, or helping children and adults with disabilities gain greater independence in everyday living, Easter Seals offers a variety of services to address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals.
Easter Seals Wisconsin continues to see growth in both service and financial health. We are extremely proud of the fact that the number of people with disabilities served through our direct services has increased significantly over the years.
Camp Wawbeek continues to be a life-changing experience for children and adults with physical and other disabilities. The 2008 summer sessions remained consistent in attendance with an 87% return rate among campers. In addition to the summer program, Easter Seals has added year-round weekend sessions. Trailblazers, people with mild cognitive delays, saw significant growth with 20 additional campers. Easter Seals served 665 campers in 2007-08.
Easter Seals FARM Program, in a continued partnership with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and UW Cooperative Extension, helps farmers with disabilities adapt practices, machinery and tools to accommodate their disability and helps others learn new skills so that they can successfully enter the agricultural workforce. Wisconsin’s FARM Program serves as the national model for similar programs and continues to increase the number of clients served each year. In 2007-08, the FARM Program assisted 452 clients.
Caring for a loved one with severe or multiple disabilities can be an incredibly rewarding, but exhausting, task. Easter Seals Respite programs give parents and caregivers time away from the stresses of providing 24 hour care for a loved one with complex disabilities. Wisconsin Elks/Easter Seals Respite Camp is one of the fastest growing Easter Seals programs; due to our recently expanded facilities, we were able to serve an additional 154 new campers again last year. Easter Seals served 815 Respite campers in 2007-08.
People with disabilities who have previously encountered barriers in the traditional working world may find new opportunities through Easter Seals’ newest program, Self-Employment Services. The program works one-on-one with entrepreneurs to evaluate, develop and implement ideas from a business standpoint and with respect to issues presented by a disability. The program served 72 clients in 2007-08. Currently this service is limited to the northeastern area of Wisconsin.
Easter Seals Wisconsin’s Avenues to Understanding is a disability awareness educational program for children and young adults offered without charge to public and private schools, early childhood programs and other groups across the state. The program is designed to help change attitudes and foster positive behaviors in ways that will make a direct impact in the lives of people with disabilities. In its first two years, Avenues to Understanding was distributed to approximately 16,000 young people.
The Disability Helpline of Outagamie County offers individualized assistance in locating community programs and services and providing specialized equipment, educational materials, a car seat loan program and support groups for local families who are caring for a child or adult with disabilities. This program was established through a bequest from the estate of Loretta K. Ricker. In addition to the Disability HelpLine of Outagamie County, there are several volunteer groups throughout the state which offer help and support to families. These groups provide services such as support group meetings, camper recruitment and fund raising.
Easter Seals Wisconsin also published two issues of Network News, the agency newsletter, to keep the public informed of Easter Seals’ services and activities around the state.
For additional information on these and other services, see our 2006-07 Annual Report in .pdf format. Thank you to the Easter Seals supporters, public and private partners, and volunteers who all play vital roles in Easter Seals’ work to create solutions that change lives for thousands of people with disabilities in Wisconsin.
Our Mission
Easter Seals Wisconsin strives to increase independence, maximize opportunities, minimize barriers, and enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.
Meet the Easter Seals Ambassadors
Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board
John Van Wie, Wisconsin Dells
1st Vice Chairman
Paul J. Karch, Appleton
2nd Vice Chairman
Daniel K. Nichols, Black Earth
Treasurer
Mark B. Rooney, Mt. Horeb
Secretary
Charles F. Buell, Middleton
Honorary
Peter Eltink, New Holstein
Board Members
Skip Ellenbecker, Wausau
Mary Foellmi, Portage
Liz Henry, Dane
William J. Holley, Middleton
Rick Lonigro, McFarland
Dan Poulson
Craig Raddatz, Mequon
Rodney J. Ripley, Waunakee
John Teevan, Shorewood
Tom Woodward, Madison
Christine Fessler, President/CEO
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