Fall Philanthropy Report: Easter Seals of Greater Houston ‘Impacts Where People Need Us the Most’
Oct. 8, 2024
What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.
What is your mission? Easter Seals Greater Houston is the only organization in the greater Houston area providing comprehensive services to individuals with all types of disabilities, veterans and their families. We impact where people need us the most – school, work, home, and in the community. Enhancing education, advancing health, expanding employment, and elevating the community.
Why did you launch the organization? Easter Seals was originally launched as the school district location for children with disabilities before the ADA was passed in the 70’s. Once ADA legislation was passed, the agency evolved into life changing services and programs serving babies, children and adults with all types of disabilities and their families, regardless of their ability to pay.
What are you most proud of? Easter Seals’ services focus on improving the physical, educational, cognitive, mental and financial health of our clients so they can live as fully participating members of our community. Even though we are very efficient, with over $.91 of every dollar used for direct client assistance, we have still been able to consistently expand services to fill gaps in services for an underserved population.
How have you impacted the community? Each year, we serve close to 15,000 families in Harris and surrounding counties, most living below poverty simply due to medical bills and caregiving issues; our programs not only address our direct client’s need for therapy, school, camps and more; but those of the family through respite, financial education, mental health services and emergency assistance.
Tell us about your big event. Easter Seals is excited to announce our 14th annual “Walk With Me Houston” Family fun walk on April 12, 2025, at the Houston Zoo presented by Prosperity Bank and attended by over 4,000 donors, sponsors, volunteers and clients. Following the walk, is an after-party with children’s activities, music, food, drinks and more. WalkWithMeHouston.org
How many employees and volunteers work with your organization? 250 and more than 200.
How much have you raised since you launched? In the past 20 years, Easter Seals has grown an average of 7% a year-in spite of economic downturns, government funding cuts and the fact that less than 3% of all charitable giving goes to organizations serving people with disabilities. That growth came through a combination of community support-from government funding, the United Way, individual donors, foundations and corporations so that our babies, children and adults receive the services they desperately need without worrying about the cost or their lack of insurance.
What are your major challenges? In spite of medical advancements and the power of technology to improve the lives of veterans and people with disabilities, the need for our services continues to grow-and with that the challenge of raising the funds necessary to support those expanded services grows.
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Fall Philanthropy Report: Be An Angel Improves Quality of Life for Children with Special Needs
Oct. 8, 2024
What year was your organization launched? 1986 by a small group of committee community members that believed special needs children were not receiving basic life services.
What is your mission? It is our mission to improve the quality of life for children withs special needs by providing adaptive equipment, hearing devices, select services, and support programs.
Why did you launch the organization? We believe that children are the heart and soul of humanity, that they represent all that is good within us, and that we can help children with special needs experience life at their fullest potential.
What are you most proud of? We have immediate results for the children needing most any kind of medical adaptive equipment. No long waiting periods. Children and their families who have been waiting between 10-12 years for respite services alone from governmental services receive respite care within 30 days or less. All with a very small administrative staff and hundreds of volunteers. Additionally, we have opened offices in DFW and San Antonio.
What’s been your impact in the community? Be An Angel has provided adaptive equipment, respite care and other select services to over 9900 special needs children from birth to age 22 in just this past year alone. These children generally come from limited to low-income families.
Tell us about your big event. We are proud of the many events hosted by Be An Angel each year. Every February we host Purse Bingo with over 600 participants winning luxury end purses and prizes. Dan Pastorini hosts his Celebrity Golf Tournament which has raised more than 2 million dollars in the past years he has supported these children. Additionally, our Spring Gala, with “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” theme raises well over $700,000 per year.
How many employees and volunteers work with your organization? We currently have 5 employees in Houston, and two in DFW and San Antonio. We are thankful for over 600 volunteers assisting us each year.
What are your major challenges? Sharing our story making families know we are here to help them.
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What year was your organization launched? 1938
What is your mission? March of Dimes was founded in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to combat polio. The name “March of Dimes” was suggested by entertainer Eddie Cantor as a way to encourage people to donate even a small amount, like a dime, to help fight polio.
March of Dimes funded research that led to the development of the polio vaccine by Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin in the 1950s. The vaccine was a major factor in eliminating polio from the United States.
Today, March of Dimes focuses on improving the health of mothers and babies regardless of race, gender, wealth, or geography. Our mission is to lead the fight for the health of all moms and babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Through advocacy, education, research, and support programs, March of Dimes works to ensure every baby gets the best possible start.
How have you impacted the community? March of Dimes works across the Greater Houston area to further our work to end preventable maternal health risks and deaths and ending preventable preterm birth and infant death. Each year, we bring comfort and care to more than 25,000 families and babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) through our NICU Family Support Program at three area hospitals. In 2023, March of Dimes invested $5.7 million in active research grants to end preventable maternal and infant death, to discover the causes of preterm birth and to achieve birth equity for all mothers, regardless of race or class. This winter, the organization will launch the first ever Mom & Baby Mobile Health Center in Texas in collaboration with Memorial Hermann Health System that will address access to care issues for women and babies in underserved areas right here in Harris County.
Tell us about your big event. Signature Chefs brings together culinary talent from across Houston for an unforgettable evening that raises critical funds to support the health of moms and babies. This year’s event is co-chaired by longtime friends of March of Dimes, Kristen J. Cannon and Mignon Gill, and will be held at The Revaire on Thursday, November 14th. Guests can expect tasting stations from renowned local chefs, signature cocktails, curated auction with exclusive items and experiences, and an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. We are thrilled to have some of Houston’s top chefs and restaurants represented including A Fare Extraordinaire, Eunice, Le Jardinier, MaKiin, Navy Blue and many more!
Join us this November for an evening of fine dining and philanthropy to advance March of Dimes mission. Visit our event website for more information and to purchase your table today!
www.signaturechefs.org/Houston
How many employees and volunteers work with your organization? In 2023, our local Houston market engaged more than 800 mission, corporate and individual volunteers. The Houston staff team is comprised of 12 dynamic individuals that focus on fundraising, mission impact and volunteer engagement.
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