Many people aren’t aware that help for many disabilities is provided by Easterseals Louisiana right here in our own backyard in Shreveport and across the state of Louisiana. Easterseals is the nations leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, physical and mental disabilities, many developmental disabilities, and other special needs. For nearly 100 years, Easterseals has been offering a helping hand to children and adults with disabilities, along with the loving families who help them get through the daily struggles. Easterseals is able to create life-changing solutions so that people who face life with a disabilities can still live, learn, work, and play, by working within their communities to create therapy programs, training, education, and support services. But they don’t stop there! Easterseals has launched their newest initiative to serve even more of the community focusing on services for young children, individuals with autism, services for military personnel and veterans, and services that support older adults as well. Their mission; help those who need to be helped.

How They Do It

Easterseals knows that not every problem has the same solution. So with that in mind, they have created a wide variety of programs and services that assist the children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities achieve independence.

Support Coordination: Easterseals helps provide support for children, adults, and elderly who suffer with physical or intellectual disabilities.

Case Management: They help provide case management services for individuals with behavioral health or co-occurring disorders.

Behavioral Health Services: Easterseals works hard to provide services for individuals needing outpatient behavioral health services including psychosocial evaluation, medication management and therapy.

Transitional Housing: Easterseals works within the community to provide transitional housing to individuals who have mental illnesses or co-occurring disorders.

System Point of Entry: This includes several different services such as Speech-Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Medical Evaluation, Nursing Services, Vision Services, Social Work Services, and so much more!

Specific Assistance: This serves as a pay of last resort for specialized equipment and supplies that those with disabilities just can’t go without.

Campership Program: This is a fun and exciting summer camp experience like no other where kids and young adults who have special needs get to go to experience the joys of camp in a fully-accessible setting just for them, all for free!

Intensive Community Engagement: A special program that moves homeless individuals or households from the streets or homeless shelters into their own apartment, using the Housing First Program.

How You Can Help

You can give to Easterseals is so many ways! Your generosity, whether it be volunteering time or donating monetarily makes a difference in so many lives! With Easterseals, you know your money is going to the greater cause. According to their 2015 Annual Report, 91% of their funds expended were used for direct services. Not many other nonprofits in the nation can say that. The other 9% of funds were spent on support services such as management and fundraising, and support of national programs. Easterseals Louisiana truly believes in transforming communities and engaging all members through quality services, knowledge, and compassion. If you or your business would like to learn more on how you can make a difference with Easterseals Louisiana, you can do that here!