A group of people stand near a podium with a sign showing drawings of a playground. Construction equipment and a tent and sand are in the background

Journeys - Fall 2026

Learn more about what's happening at Easterseals this fall

Journeys!

Fall 2026

In this issue

90th anniversary: a message from our CEO
Moving Up ceremony
First days of school
Playground groundbreaking
Disability Pride

A Message From Our CEO

Ready for a milestone year ahead

Tim, Easterseals SEPA's CEO, kneeling at a low table and smiling as a young child in a classroom plays with colorful stacking blocks.

Ninety years is a long time, truly, something to be proud of. As we approach that milestone, what strikes me most isn't how much has changed — it's how constant our mission has remained.

This issue captures some of what our Easterseals mission looks like right now: students stepping into new chapters, staff who show up every day with extraordinary dedication, and a groundbreaking that marks the beginning of something truly special for our Philadelphia families.

We are ready for what's next. I hope, after reading this, you will be too.

— Tim

Moving Up

Celebrating next steps

A young Easterseals graduate wearing a pink cap and gown, smiling and holding her diploma at a Moving Up ceremony while classmates and families look on.

Every year, our moving-up ceremonies remind us exactly why this work matters. This past June, Easterseals students were celebrated by their families, teachers, and therapists — each one a testament to what's possible when children are seen, supported, and championed every step of the way.

For many parents in that room, the moment carried weight that's hard to put into words. The journey to that stage isn't always easy. It's built on early mornings, hard-won breakthroughs, therapy sessions, and a whole lot of trust: in their children, and in the team walking alongside them.

"I cried, worried, and questioned whether anyone could care for my baby the way I do," reflected one Easterseals mom. "Some experiences we had before school made me even more nervous and uncomfortable, but Easterseals changed that for me."

To our graduates and their families: we are so incredibly proud of how far you've come. Congratulations — here's to everything that lies ahead!

New Year, Ready

Back to school and ready for what lies ahead

A new school year means new possibilities, and at Easterseals, we feel that energy in every hallway, every classroom, and every hello on the first day back.

Three children sitting together at a red table on the first day of school, resting their chins on their hands and smiling at the camera. A young boy sitting at his desk on the first day of school.

Erica DiVario knows that feeling well. As her daughter Gabriella joined her classmates for the first day of school in September, Erica's hope was simple and profound: "I want people to see her for who she is. I want her to be the best version of herself, and that's come alive at Easterseals."

Gabriella on an inflatable slide.

Read Erica and Gabriella's full story here

Built For This

Bringing inclusive, accessible play to life

A child wearing an orange toy hard hat and an Easterseals shirt, crouched in a sand pit with a small shovel at the playground groundbreaking event.

Play is therapy. Play is joy. Play is how our children learn, grow, and discover what they're capable of. And this summer, that belief officially broke ground.

On July 9, members of our Easterseals community — including families, staff, and valued partners like Elwyn — gathered at our Philadelphia center to break ground on a brand new, fully accessible playground, slated for completion in Fall 2026.

An Easterseals leader in a suit speaking at an outdoor podium labeled 'Our Future Playground,' with construction equipment visible behind him. Staff, families, and children using small shovels together in a ceremonial pile of sand at the groundbreaking event.

The energy in that moment was unforgettable. For the families who have dreamed of a space like this, one designed with their children in mind, it was a long time coming.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals, foundations, corporate partners, program partners, and our community, we've come this far. If you'd like to be part of what we're building, we'd love to have you.

Learn more about our vision of "what success looks like," and the vital role you can play in bringing it to life.

Showing Up

A legacy of disability pride

Archival black-and-white photograph of two women standing beside an Easterseals van, from the organization's history advocating for disability rights.
From the Easterseals SEPA archives, marking the organization's long history of disability advocacy.

July 26, 1990 changed everything. On that day, the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law — and Easterseals was there, as a leading advocate lobbying in Washington and spearheading public service campaigns that helped shape the national conversation around disability rights.

This past July, Disability Pride Month offered a moment to reflect on how far we've come, and how much further we intend to go. Disability pride starts with access. It grows when children and families can count on compassionate, individualized support that helps them pursue their goals and fully participate in their communities. At Easterseals, that commitment isn't seasonal. It's everything.