Easter Seals

James E. Williams, Jr.. James E. Williams, Jr. became President and Chief Executive Officer of Easter Seals in June 1990, shortly before the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. Under Williams’ leadership, Easter Seals has become the nation’s largest service provider for children and adults living with autism and other disabilities, with new program sites, service offerings for more… See full bio.

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Story: Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical and mental disabilities, and other special needs. For more than 90 years, we have been offering help, hope and answers to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play in their communities. To learn more, visit www.easterseals.com and to see what we’re doing as advocates for young children and families: www.makethefirstfivecount.org Easter Seals annually helps 1.4 million individuals and families living with disabilities through its network of 76 affiliates in the United States and Puerto Rico, offering services through more than 55o service centers. Easter Seals program activities include therapy, training, education and support services, such as early intervention, medical rehabilitation: physical , occupational, and speech and hearing therapies, inclusive child care, workforce development and employment services, adult and older adult day programs, camping and recreation, and services for military, Veterans and their caregivers. In 1907, Ohio-businessman Edgar Allen lost his son in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services available to save his son prompted Allen to sell his business and begin a fund-raising campaign to build a hospital in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio. Through this new hospital, Allen was surprised to learn that children with disabilities were often hidden from public view. Inspired by this discovery, in 1919 Allen founded what became known as the National Society for Crippled Children, the first organization of its kind.

Evidence of Impact Summary:

Easter Seals is very active in legislation affecting people with disabilities and does a great deal of grant writing. The organization also provides education, outreach, and advocacy to benefit people living with disabilities.
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Organization Strengths Summary:

Easter Seals has competent, knowledgeable staff with good connections on the Hill. Their offerings to people with disabilities also have great reach and range from child development centers, physical rehabilitation and job training for people with disabilities, to adult and adult and senior care programs.
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Areas for Improvement Summary:

Chapter by chapter, the quality and diversity of services differs. Experts have highlighted these differences to be an issue and believe that Easter Seals would improve if its services were great across the board.
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James E. Williams, Jr. became President and Chief Executive Officer of Easter Seals in June 1990, shortly before the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990. Under Williams’ leadership, Easter Seals has become the nation’s largest service provider for children and adults living with autism and other disabilities, with new program sites, service offerings for more than 1.4 million individuals, and revenues of $1.3 billion. To better serve the needs of families living with autism, Williams has initiated partnerships with autism research and treatment organizations. Williams also is focused on Easter Seals’ Vision 2015, which calls for a focus on innovation, on expanding Easter Seals’ services internationally, and for a barrier-free America, where all people are included in all aspects of American life. He began his career with Easter Seals in 1970 in Maine, where he was responsible for program development. From 1974 to 1979, Williams directed the Speech and Hearing Division for the State of Missouri Children’s Services Section in the Department of Health and Social Services. He led multi-disciplinary medical specialty teams in charge of Oro-facial Anomaly Clinics in six teaching hospitals. He developed and implemented the state infant high-risk registry for all newborns and served as instructor in the departments of pediatrics and otolaryngology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Williams recently served as Chairman of the National Health Council and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Institute for Philanthropy and the National Alliance for Hispanic Health. He has served on the boards of the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the JM Foundation Search for Excellence, the National Foundation for Dentistry for People with Disabilities, the Montessori School of Lake Forest, and the Missouri Commission on Comprehensive Health Planning. Williams earned his master’s degree from the University of Missouri, with a major in Communications/Speech Pathology and Audiology and received his bachelor’s degree in Speech and Communications from Harding College. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by the University of New England.

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