Edith Garvey believed that anyone ccould be a philanthropist regardless of wealth or status and Edith was a genuine philanthropist. She was a teacher, first in Illinois then in the El Segundo area of Southern California. She supported many non-profit organizations including her alma mater, the University of Illinois in Champaign, and Easterseals. Edith was active in her South Bay community, sharing her vibrant personality with her bridge group, her church friends, and members of the Torrance Civic Chorale, of which she was a member.
Her $10 or $15 donations were not large, but she gave on a regular basis. In 2012, Edith noticed she had not received her yearly Easterseals calendar in the mail so she made a call to the Easterseals Southern California office. A member of the Development team volunteered to drop one off in person. During their visit, Edith learned more about Easterseals services and was invited to tour a local Adult Day program site. Passionate about helping others and creating a better world, it was then she decided to include Easterseals in her will.
Edith passed in 2015 and with the bequest she left to Easterseals Southern California, our local Living Options home in Torrance was able to fully equip with ADA compliant devices assisting the disabled residents today and for the future.
Go to easterseals.planmylegacy.org or call 714.834.1111 ext. 5027
for information on how YOUR Legacy can make a difference!
Monday, April 28, 2025, 11:45 AM
In January 2025, Easterseals Southern California’s Autism Therapy Services team launched an exciting…
Mattering means feeling valued, respected, and having a sense of influence. Whether at home, at work, or in the community, people need to feel heard, appreciated, and capable. In the Autism Services department at Easterseals, we’ve seen first-hand how engaging in meaningful activities boosts wellbeing, motivation, resilience, and social connections.
In January 2025, Easterseals Southern California’s Autism Therapy Services team launched an exciting initiative centered around the PERMA+ model, which is based in positive psychology, the scientific study of what makes life most worth living (Peterson, 2008). The PERMA+ model highlights six essential elements that contribute to overall well-being:
Each one plays a vital role in enhancing an individual’s wellness, and we are committed to embedding this model into our therapy services.
During the month of May, we will focus on exploring the ‘M’ of PERMA+, which revolves around Mattering/Meaning, by implementing strategies and resources for staff and participants.
We invite you to discover activities that will bring value and meaning to your own life whether you’re a caregiver, therapist, or participant, as well as how you can show others that they matter.
How you can find meaning in everyday life:
Use your creativity to create a “mattering wall” or collage for others to share their thoughts on who matters to them and what makes them feel like they matter.
Simple activities you can do to show someone they matter:
Whether at home or at work, there are plenty of simple ways to show others that they matter. Below, we share some practical ways Easterseals Autism Services has implemented mattering activities that you can also use anywhere:
We hope these ideas inspire you to show others that they matter and remind you of your own importance every day.
Learn more about Easterseals Southern California’s Autism Services by visiting our website.
The post The Importance of Being Seen: Why ‘Mattering’ is Vital for Mental Health in the Autism Community appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Friday, April 25, 2025, 2:26 PM
Easterseals Southern California marks the one-year anniversary of its multi-media PSA campaign, "Dis…
As we approach the one-year anniversary of our multi-media PSA campaign ‘Disability is Not a Dirty Word,’ Easterseals Southern California is pleased to announce the release of new content. This includes updated billboards, impactful commercials, and a newly launched merchandise store. Through the continuation of this campaign, we remain committed to boldly promoting Disability Pride throughout Southern California.
Out and About
Whether you’re scrolling your phone, watching TV, or driving down the freeway, it’s likely you’ve seen our latest PSA content proclaiming that disability is NOT a dirty word! And if you haven’t seen it yet, follow us on social media using the links below to see refreshed videos featuring authentic stories of disability inclusion.
The New Merch Store is Open!
The redesigned online store featuring ‘Disability is Not a Dirty Word’ merch has expanded into hats, backpacks, polo shirts and more. Plus, you or your organization can do a bulk order of 50 items or more to get great pricing. Check out the new store here!
Tag Us on Social Media!
When you wear your Disability Pride merch or come across a billboard or commercial, let us know! Tag Easterseals Southern California on social media and we will feature your post on our pages:
Learn more about our ‘Disability is Not a Dirty Word’ campaign by visiting DisabilityPride.com.
Watch one of our newest videos, featuring Nik Sanchez
The post What’s New with the ‘Disability is Not a Dirty Word’ Campaign? appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 5:23 PM
The Virtual Community has become an exciting project within Easterseals Southern California, and Sab…
It all started with a giant spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel.
“This was during the pandemic,” says Sabrina Pascual, now Director of the Virtual Community for Easterseals Southern California. “Since people couldn’t come to our sites, our various Adult Day Services (ADS) locations started planning their own online programming.”
For example, the ADS site in Van Nuys would host a webinar about cooking, while the West Covina site created a one-hour online event about painting.
Sabrina set up a spreadsheet to share this information throughout the organization. She listed all the remote activities, provided links, and emailed the file to the ADS sites every week. That way, people at various locations could join each other’s programs.
The spreadsheet kept growing and was becoming unwieldy, so Sabrina and her colleagues decided to move everything to an online platform. They didn’t realize it at the time, but that’s when the Virtual Community was born.
In the beginning, the website was simply a way to organize and promote all the different online activities happening across Easterseals ADS sites.
But as people began returning to on-site programming, it was clear that the virtual community remained valuable. Many had formed friendships through the site, people enjoyed the variety of offerings, and if participants were sick or couldn’t attend in-person for other reasons, it was an easy way for them to stay engaged.
In response, Sabrina and her team started building something more permanent:
They also made sure to prioritize accessibility. For example, the site:
Now, five years after the pandemic, the site is a robust and dynamic destination for around 300 people every month. What began as a social-distancing quick-fix has transformed into a thriving online community.
During the week, the Virtual Community hosts two events almost every hour, for a total of approximately 60 events per week. It covers a wide range of topics that are driven by participants’ interests, including:
There is also an Open Discussion Room from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every weekday, where people can just drop in to chat, share information they’ve learned from other Virtual Community activities, talk about current events, and more.
The events are engaging and popular, but they’re not the only benefit.
Through the Virtual Community, participants have learned more about how to use tech devices and navigate online spaces. It’s become a way to bridge the technology knowledge gap in the disability community.
People have also gained new skills and confidence as they lead activities or discussions.
And then there are the relationships. Since the beginning, the Virtual Community has helped foster connections across different locations, enhancing everyone’s sense of unity and belonging. This was evident during the January wildfires in Southern California, when some in-person services were suspended for safety, but people could still meet online and stay engaged and connected.
The Virtual Community has become an exciting project within Easterseals Southern California, and Sabrina and her team continue to find ways to make it a vibrant space for participants.
Going forward, the team is exploring ways to extend the community beyond Easterseals to California Regional Centers so that people outside the organization can join in. Expanding this unique resource could be invaluable to individuals and programs throughout California, creating access to services and true community for the people who need it most.
“The Virtual Community is transforming the way people in Adult Day Services connect and learn,” says Sabrina. “It’s something we couldn’t have imagined in the beginning. But throughout this journey, we’ve let participant input guide us. Now we have a fun and lively space with so much interesting content—and it keeps getting better.”
To learn more about the Virtual Community and how you can get involved, visit our website. You can also check out the Virtual Community here.
The post Connecting and Thriving: Inside Easterseals Adult Day Services Virtual Community appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 12:28 PM
In our latest Disability in Pop Culture blog series, we're highlighting productions that exemplify p…
Hollywood’s journey toward portraying authentic disability representation has faced challenges, from miscasting to harmful stereotypes. However, a growing number of films are prioritizing lived experiences, casting disabled actors, and crafting narratives that celebrate diversity without reducing characters to clichés. Below, we highlight productions that exemplify progress, offering nuanced portrayals that resonate with audiences and set new standards for disability in media.
A Quiet Place (2018)
A post-apocalyptic thriller directed by John Krasinski; A Quiet Place follows a family surviving in silence to evade deadly creatures that hunt by sound.
Featuring deaf actress Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott, this thriller integrates her deafness into the story in a meaningful way. The use of American Sign Language (ASL) and Simmonds’ lived experience brings authenticity to the film’s portrayal of deaf culture.
CODA (2021)
This Oscar-winning film follows Ruby Rossi, a teenager navigating life as the only hearing member of her deaf family in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Starring deaf actors Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, and Daniel Durant, CODA breaks barriers by centering deaf experiences both on-screen and behind the scenes. The film made history by becoming the first film with a predominantly deaf cast to win Academy Award for Best Picture. Followed by its success, it set a precedent for future productions to prioritize casting actors with disabilities.
All the Light We Cannot See (2024)
Netflix’s adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind girl navigating life during World War II.
Starring blind actress Aria Mia Loberti as Marie-Laure LeBlanc, this series marks a significant step forward in authentic representation. Loberti’s disability enriches the narrative about resilience during wartime while offering a raw perspective on blindness.
Out of My Mind (2024)
A Disney+ adaptation of Sharon Draper’s bestselling novel, Out of My Mind, tells the story of Melody Brooks, a non-verbal wheelchair user with cerebral palsy who defies expectations.
This film stars Phoebe-Rae Taylor, an actress with cerebral palsy, as Melody Brooks. Taylor’s casting ensures authentic representation while the film thoughtfully explores challenges faced by individuals with CP in educational and social settings.
Bob Trevino Likes It (2024)
Bob Trevino Likes It is an indie drama that follows a young woman who forms an unexpected online friendship with a stranger named Bob Trevino.
The film offers a nuanced portrayal of disability through the character Daphne, played by Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer, who has a chronic condition. It highlights the importance of disability representation by casting an actress with a disability in a meaningful role.
Authentic disability representation goes beyond casting; it requires thoughtful storytelling that reflects the complexities of living with a disability. These productions demonstrate how disability inclusion can elevate narratives while empowering disabled communities.
By prioritizing authentic casting and consulting creatives with disabilities, Hollywood has the opportunity to break down barriers—one story at a time.
What shows or movies have you seen that feature authentic disability representation? Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for more from Easterseals Southern California’s “Disability in Pop Culture” blog series!
The post Disability in Pop Culture: Authentic Disability Representation in Film appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 3:05 PM
March was a vibrant month for Easterseals Southern California, marked by community engagement, educa…
March was an eventful month for Easterseals Southern California, filled with community engagement, educational events, and inspiring moments. Here’s a look back at some of the key highlights that made this month special.
Easterseals Valley View Infant Center in Ontario was thrilled to invite the Ontario Police Department to celebrate Read Across America Day in early March! Officers joined the fun by reading books to our little ones, making this special day even more memorable. Thank you to our local police department for helping us foster a love of reading.
Easterseals Southern California hosted a booth at the 2025 Abilities Expo from March 7-9, where we shared our mission, programs, and swag with hundreds of attendees. Our booth featured fun games, prizes, information about our services, and free “Disability is Not a Dirty Word” shirts for patrons. This annual event featured a wheelchair dance performance by the Rollettes, adaptive sports, informative workshops, group exercise, and vendors showing off the latest in disability technology and services.
Easterseals Autism Services was invited to participate in the San Diego Padres’ annual “Preview Day,” which was a behind-the-scenes look at Petco Park’s sensory-friendly features. Families and staff from Easterseals Autism Services program in San Diego got a private tour of the stadium to experience the ballpark without the sensory overload of crowds. Features available to families include quiet spaces, a Sensory Activation Vehicle, sensory kits, and support from Guest Services. Watch the video below to learn more!
Easterseals was honored to sponsor and attend CalABA’s 44th annual Western Regional Conference on Behavior Analysis, where thought leaders in Behavior Analysis gathered to share innovative strategies and insights. A special thanks to the Easterseals presenters, who represented Easterseals across multiple sessions, each discussing unique topics. We also want to thank the Advisory Board members for leading engaging sessions on data collection methods and enhancing service delivery through diverse perspectives. Together, we’re turning inspiration into action and shaping the future of Behavior Analysis!
Easterseals participants had a chance to thank the Vons, Albertsons, and Pavilions Foundation for supporting disability services during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Throughout March, customers could make in-store donations at check-out to create a big impact. A special shoutout to the participants and staff from Easterseals Adult Day Services Pyott Center who created a heartfelt poster to say thank you to their local Albertsons, where they shop weekly, along with Vons and Pavilions.
Learn more about what we’re doing at Easterseals on our website, and be sure to follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings across our service lines:
The post Easterseals March 2025 Recap: A Snapshot of Key Happenings appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
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