Easterseals Iowa provides exceptional services to ensure all people with disabilities or special needs, and their families, have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their community.
Easterseals Iowa is a leading provider serving the lifespan of individuals of children and adults with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities, autism and mental illness.
We serve the entire lifespan—birth to end of life.
HOW IOWA IS IMPACTED
Founded
As a national organization Easterseals was founded 101 years ago in 1919. As a local organization, we were founded in 1926 so currently 93 and 94 by 2020. Camp Sunnyside started in 1962, so currently 57 years of camping programming.
Disability
One in five Iowans lives with a disability.
Serve
We serve more than 3,000 people each year through our programming.
Support
92 cents of every dollar we raise supports program services.
HEALTH
Health and wellness is a really important focus for us; you can’t live your best life if you aren’t your healthiest.
Independence
We’re all about independence—how we can support our clients to live independently in the community. We also provide hope for families and belief in the abilities of our clients.
Several different program lines
to support individuals with disabilities
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Camp and respite—respite happens year round every other weekend at Camp Sunnyside. Camp happens 10 weeks each summer. Day camps are integrated to serve children with and without disabilities. Campers gain confidence as they try and succeed at new things they many times have never had opportunity to do—horseback riding, climbing the rock wall, fishing, indoor swimming pool, treehouse, tree climbing, etc.
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Employment programs—multiple programs to teach skills to be successful in the workplace.
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Education programs—there are high school internship programs, high school planning for “what’s next” and supported education in college.
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Adult Day Programs—adult client is having engaging activities and learning new skills and their parent/guardian can go to work knowing their loved one is safe.
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Assistive Technology—devices that make daily living easier such a technology aids, eating aids, dressing aids.
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Supported Community Living—support to live in the community from just a few hours a week to 24-hour support.
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Rural Solutions—supports farm family members and farmers to return to farming after accident/illness.
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Integrated child development center—serves children with and without disabilities.
OUR FEATURED AMBASSADORS
TJ Olson
Easterseals Camp is amazing and builds confidence and independence, but they also have programs that support people... Read More >
Liz Hamer
My name is Liz Hamer. I am a married, working Mom of two amazing kids. My daughter is 17 and is in the process of... Read More >
Reagan Crabtree
Reagan is a part of Easterseals supported education program. We support her with her goals of not only being independent... Read More >
David Duff
David is the parent of Nolan, who attends our Child Development Center (CDC) at Camp Sunnyside.
The center serves children... Read More >
Emily Brown
You are going to just love Emily. She is so full of life and has so much Joy. She’s an amazing singer---you may even want to... Read More >
Nina Richtman
Nina is an amazing advocate for mental health and trauma informed care. You’ll see in this video, she adopted two boys... Read More >
Laura Foley
After a car accident, Laura says life was at a standstill before she was connected with Easterseals Iowa. She learned to... Read More >
Mike Nissly
Mike is a client in the Rural Solutions program. This program serves Rural Iowans, usually farmers or farm family members... Read More >
GET
INVOLVED
Easterseals Iowa
Contact us to volunteer or to get more information on our events.
