Throughout the twentieth century there have been many foundations and organizations that have surfaced with the objectives of helping individuals with disabilities. These supportive foundations have raised millions of dollars in recent years that are to be spent aiding children and adults with disabilities lead normal lives. While many of these organizations have been successful, none have paralleled the undying efforts of the Easter Seals Society. .
To understand why the Easter Seals foundation has been so successful with millions of people throughout the North America, it is imperative to learn about its history. The Easter Seals foundation was the brainchild of an Ohio businessman named Edgar Allen, whose son's life was lost due to the inadequate medical services of the time. The loss of Allen's son gave him the idea to sell his business and start a campaign to raise money in efforts of opening a new hospital in Elyria, Ohio. Being actively involved with the new hospital, Allen came to realize that children with disabilities were often hidden from the public. It was this new realization that caused him to found the National Society for Crippled Children. The Easter Seals logo, a lily (which signified a sign of spring), was chosen because it was said to be associated with resurrection and new life. The campaigns, which the foundation launched, started to spread like wildfire and soon people were very interested in helping the disabled. The first Canadian branch was established in 1922 in Windsor, Ontario and was still called the Society for Crippled Children. This vivacity of efforts is still very present today in what we now know as the Easter Seals Foundation.
For every organization designed to help people, there must be a clear objectives set out as a foundation for the group. Although they will do anything to help, the Easter Seals main objective is to "help people with disabilities address life's challenges and achieve personal goals".