Easter Seals History

Easter Seals, an international charitable organization which provides assistance to people suffering from autism and other disabilities, was founded by Edgar Allen in the 1919. Edgar Allen a businessman based in Ohio was deeply moved by the death of his son in a road accident due to the non availability of adequate medical facilities which made him sell his business to start raising funds in order to open a hospital in his hometown Elyria, Ohio.

Edgar Allen after learning that the disabled children generally grow up in the hiding, he decided to provide assistance to them, and it is during this time that he founded the National Society for Crippled Children. The National Society for Crippled Children launched its first seals campaign to raise funds during the period of Great depression, in the spring of 1934 by selling seals which can be purchased by the donors and paste it alongside the normal postage stamps on the letters and envelopes. The Seals campaign raised around $ 47000, thanks to the overwhelming public response which led to a nationwide expansion of national Society for Crippled Children. The mission was later broadened to include adults as well in the year 1944, and it managed to reach all the states in United States by the year 1950.

In the year 1952, the organization adopted the Easter Lily seal, designed by Ruth Miley McClellan as its official symbol and by 1967. The Easter seal had become very popular among the public that the organization decided to formally adopt the name 'Easter Seals' and has been operating under the same name ever since.

The organization receives funding from various sources and it makes use of those funds for providing assistance and running other programs for the disabled adults and Children across its various facilities in the United States, Canada, Australia and Puerto Rico. The organization also provides assistance and rehabilitation services to the injured war veterans had helping them cope with the injuries and transition to normal civilian life.

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