Easter Seals Massachusetts History

Since its founding in 1944, Easter Seals Massachusetts has had one mission:  ensuring that children and adults with disabilities have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play.

Through the years Easter Seals has been continually developing new programs and innovative approaches to meet the specific needs of its clients.

One of Easter Seals’ most enduring programs has provided a summer camp experience for children with disabilities for more than 60 years.  Easter Seals currently serves hundreds of children every summer in our camping program at Agassiz Village in Maine.

Through the Youth Leadership program, Easter Seals also offers opportunities for young people with disabilities to discover their personal abilities and skills. Service learning activities help generate feelings of importance and self-worth, while encouraging them to become forces for change in their communities.

In 1988, Easter Seals recognized the potential benefits that technology holds for children and adults with disabilities.  Its assistive technology program began with a few donated computers and one specialist.  Today, the program has more than 20 specialists and utilizes a wide array of software, hardware and adaptive devices.
Easter Seals is now a national leader in using technology to expand independence for people with disabilities at home, in school and in the workplace.

Numerous programs help people access the assistive technology they need.  At the Assistive Technology Regional Centers, people with disabilities can see, try out and borrow devices in order to make more informed decisions about technology that will meet their needs. 

The Massachusetts Assistive Technology Loan Program provides access to low-interest cash loans for the purchase of assistive devices and services that will improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.  Our new AT Mini-Loan Program provides people with assistive devices that cost less than $500.  The devices are available free of charge to qualified Massachusetts residents with disabilities and their families.

Easter Seals Rehabilitation Services offers physical, occupational and speech therapy to people in homes, schools, nursing homes, day care centers and clinics.  

The Easter Seals Job Training and Employment program helps people with disabilities develop the skills they need in order to get and keep jobs in today’s competitive workplace.  The program offers individualized vocational rehabilitation, job training and employment services to students and adults.

Easter Seals staff members also answer thousands of questions every year through a disability resource information center.  And advocates work to help state legislators and government officials understand and meet all the needs of men, women and children with disabilities.

In 2008, Easter Seals services benefited more than 17,000 Massachusetts residents with disabilities, their families, teachers and employers.