Happy Principal Appreciation Day to our Academy leaders! We are grateful for the passion you bring to your work and the impact you make across our Easterseals Academy community. 🍎 #PrincipalAppreciationDay

In our latest episode of Everything You Know About Disability is Wrong, Dani Bowman shares how Autistic people may express themselves differently, but their desire for connection, purpose, and belonging is the same as anyone else’s. Tune into the full episode: https://bit.ly/4lYxRIc

Protect access to autism services. The Autism Program of Illinois provides critical screenings, diagnostics, and support for thousands of families, but continued funding is at risk. Act today to protect these life-changing services: easterseals.quorum.us/campaign/159...

Don’t miss this year’s Eggstra Special Egg Hunt! This event is designed for children with special needs and features accessible egg hunts and other activities in a calm, welcoming environment where every child can participate. Saturday, April 4 | 12–3 PM SM&SF Club Park, 7625 Kishwaukee Rd

What a weekend with the Chicago Wolves! Board Member Robert “Rocky” Nowaczyk and HB Threads associate Carter Sanders were honored as Hometown Heroes. On Sunday, John from our Partnering with Parents program dropped the puck. Thank you, Chicago Wolves!

Today is Employee Appreciation Day! Our mission only moves forward because of the incredible people behind it. We want to express our gratitude to our entire staff for your dedication to expanding possibilities for people of all abilities. We are so proud to work alongside you!

This season, stand with every child, every family, every ability. 🧡 Your gift helps keep vital support within reach for families across Chicagoland and Greater Rockford. Donate today: ow.ly/lB3J50XGXnL

🎸🎁 Our 2025 Holiday Rockin’ Road Trip wrapped up this week! ECR leaders visited program sites across Chicagoland and Greater Rockford, spreading cheer and gratitude to our incredible staff for all they do for children and families every day.

Thank you, IL State Rep Theresa Mah—a co-sponsor of Illinois’ new Dignity in Pay Act—for visiting HB Threads and championing dignity in pay and inclusive employment for people of all abilities!

All aboard the Metra Holiday Train! Tickets go on sale TODAY at noon! On December 13 & 20—thanks to Huntington National Bank, our social enterprise, HB Threads, will be at the Millennium Station North Pole helping riders create their own holiday-themed buttons. Buy tickets: shop.metra.com/password

We’re excited to share that our social enterprise, HB Threads, is hosting a pop-up shop at Metra’s North Pole Winter Wonderland at Millennium Station (Chicago)! Tickets go on sale starting noon on Nov. 17: metra.com/newsroom/met...

Our Teen Family Support team hosted their first Moms’ Retreat—a 24-hour reset with hikes, archery, candle-making, tie-dye, planting, vision boards, karaoke, and s’mores. Grateful to everyone who made it possible!

Hope can’t wait. Your gift keeps autism services, early learning, caregiver relief, therapies—and other vital supports—within reach so families can thrive, no matter their circumstances. Donate today: ow.ly/eNyc50XnSXj

Join us for a Family Fun Event: Skate & Play! You're invited to an afternoon of ice skating and indoor play—hosted by our Family Support Services team and made possible by the Rockford Park District Recreation Voucher. 🗓️ Saturday, November 15, 2025 www.eastersealschicago.org/events/famil...

Proud to join the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy at ComEd HQ! Extra shoutout to our HB Threads associate, Carter Sanders, who represented our mission beautifully—and who also serves as a ComEd Energy Ambassador, helping neighbors save energy and lower costs. 💡🙌

It's #AmericasSafeSchoolsWeek. Thank you to everyone who plays a role in keeping our students safe—from our security personnel, principals, teachers, therapists, and classroom assistants to our bus drivers and caregivers. Together, we’re ensuring every student is protected, supported, and valued. 🧡

HB Threads is now People + Planet Verified! 🌍 This verification recognizes enterprises that put people and the planet before profit. At HB Threads, every product supports meaningful employment for people of all abilities and reflects our commitment to sustainability and purpose-driven impact.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 25th and come out to the Bucciferro Family McDonald's Great Pumpkin Giveaway! The Autism Program at Easterseals will be there sharing information about our local autism programs and services. Bring the whole family for a gourd time! 🍂🧡

We were honored to celebrate the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for their long-standing support of our work with the unveiling of their logo on the gym scoreboard at our Easterseals Academy Chicago Campus. Thank you, FOP, for your commitment to the people and communities we serve. 🧡

#NDEAM Disabled employees bring creative problem-solving, fresh perspectives, and skills that help teams thrive. 1 in 4 American adults has a disability. Accessible workplaces are good for everyone. https://www.fastcompany.com/91219355/hiring-people-with-disabilities-makes-organizations-stronger

Flannel Jam Returns! The 3rd Annual Flannel Jam: A Country + Rock Confidential is back for another epic night of music, mystery, and meaningful impact. Proceeds support The Autism Program at Easterseals and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Get your tickets: www.ticketmaster.com/event/210062...

We’re honored to be selected as a nonprofit partner by Loyola University's Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise & Responsibility! This fall, students will collaborate with TAP at Easterseals to advance access and equity in autism care. #EastersealsRockford #EastersealsChicago #LoyolaChicago

Our Evergreen Park Child and Family Connections and Tinley Park Child and Family Connections, along with our Early Intervention staff, gathered for a spring retreat. A huge thank you to our incredible CFC and EI staff! Your warmth and dedication allow us to move our mission forward every day.🧡

⛳️ Bidding is STILL OPEN for the 43rd Annual Golf Classic Silent Auction! All proceeds support programs that transform the lives of early learners and individuals with disabilities. Browse & bid now: e.givesmart.com/events/HMt/i/ #SwingForACause

Bidding is NOW OPEN for the 43rd Annual Golf Classic Silent Auction! ⛳️ All proceeds support programs that transform the lives of early learners and individuals with disabilities.💙 Click to browse and bid: e.givesmart.com/events/HMt/i/

Our Associate Board is proud to be partnering once again with the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility at Loyola University Chicago for this FREE, in-person networking event. Connect with other professionals passionate about driving change. RSVP ➡️ ow.ly/g40G50W142S

We were honored to accept a $25K donation from the
 Kiwanis Club of Rockford to support the creation of a new walking path at our Easterseals Academy Machesney Park campus.✨ We’re so grateful to expand our campus to benefit our communities. THANK YOU, Kiwanis Club of Rockford, for this opportunity!

Last week, our Teen Family Support Services Team attended an in-service day at NorthPointe Birthing Center. NorthPointe gave a presentation about their pregnancy, labor and delivery, and women’s health services, and also provided a tour of their welcoming facilities. Thank you, NorthPointe!

Join Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford for the 43rd Annual Golf Classic—a day of golf and giving at the beautiful Grand Geneva Resort & Spa on Friday, June 6th!🚩 Purchase tickets by clicking the link: 🔗 e.givesmart.com/events/HMt/

This May, we celebrate and recognize the incredible work of those in the field of speech-language pathology (SLP)—especially, our Easterseals Academy Speech Team, whose dedication is making a profound impact in the lives of our students every day.🗣️

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day—We’re proud to celebrate this important day by advancing the conversation around digital access/inclusion for the 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities and impairments—16% of the global population, according to WHO.

On April 30th, our Easterseals Academy Machesney Park Campus held its Annual Talent Show!🎤📣⭐ Thank you to all of our performers, audience members, and families who came to enjoy the afternoon with us!

If you're analytical and excel in maintaining organized financial records and narrative reports, we invite you to apply for our Assistant Controller position. 👉🏼 Apply now: 🔗https://ow.ly/jA2s50VPu8a

If you're detail-oriented and skilled in accounting, budget forecasting, and managing revenue for grants and contracts, you may be a great fit for our Director of Grants Management and Financial Analysis role. 👉🏼Apply now: 🔗https://ow.ly/zNrQ50VPtRu

#teachers #TeacherAppreciationWeek #EmbracingAbilities #ExpandingPossibilities

#HBThreads attended day 1 of the @autismspeaks.org Empower Summit & Challenge—a 2-day event that gathered the autism community through meaningful conversations around health, wellness, advocacy, and workplace inclusion. Author and autism advocate Kerry Magro delivered Friday's inspiring keynote.

While in Washington, D.C. for Easterseals’ National Advocacy Week, Amy Blythe, our Assistant Vice President of Early Learning Services, met with Rep. Pete Aguilar. Blythe is in town to advocate for Head Start on behalf of children and families in the Chicagoland communities we serve. #HeadStart

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—At Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford, we believe mental health is as vital as physical health. Through our programs, we provide individuals with disabilities, our youngest learners, and their families with empathy & expertise. ow.ly/T0WF50VLnkF

Head Start programs improve the lives of low-income families. Each day, we’re helping families achieve their goals so that every child, regardless of circumstance, has a chance to thrive. We’re also urging policymakers to prioritize and fully fund programs like Head Start for our next generation.

Throughout April, as we celebrated Autism Acceptance Month, we had many opportunities to foster greater understanding of individuals with autism and related disabilities. While this special month winds down on Wednesday, our support for those with autism is never-ending.

We are working hard to support our communities who benefit from Head Start and Early Head Start. For 60 years, #HeadStart has helped nearly 40 million children and families lay strong foundations for learning & brighter futures.👉Help stop Head Start from being de-funded! Act now: ow.ly/6Klt50VHeGj

This week marks the inaugural #NationalHomeVisitingWeek, a time to celebrate the impact home visiting has on the well-being of young mothers, children, and families. From prenatal care to early learning to health, home visitors help families access the tools, services & support they need to thrive.🧡

Home visiting connects people who are pregnant or have recently had a baby with doulas and parent educators—to help during pregnancy and the early stages of raising a family. These trained professionals offer guidance and emotional support aimed at improving well-being, health, and family dynamics.✨

April is Occupational Therapy (OT) Month! We're highlighting the positive impact occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants make every day. In the coming days, we’ll spotlight executive functioning skills—and how we support them at Easterseals.

Amy Blythe, our Assistant Vice President of Early Learning Services, along with other Illinois Head Start providers, speaks about the future of Head Start, which offers holistic early childhood education, health, and support to low-income families with children up to age 5. ow.ly/iSvn50VBXWt

Our Teen Family Support Doula and Home Visiting Program has longstanding partnerships with local community hospitals & clinics to help families throughout their birth journey. Together, we provide specialized care and support before, during, and after delivery. We're so grateful to our partners.🧡

💫Introducing our Easterseals Academy Girl Scout troop—a multi-level troop of girls with disabilities from our Chicago Academy campus. Our troop engages in skill-building activities, earning badges/petals through a variety of activities including Girl Scout Cookies! We’re so proud of our troop.💫

⭐We’re shining a spotlight on the amazing organizations and businesses supporting HB Threads.⭐ Thanks to every single order—large or small—from our community, we’re able to provide meaningful employment opportunities for individuals of all abilities. Together, we’re making a difference. Thank you.

Our very own Carter Sanders delivered local commentary and interviewed fellow friends from Easterseals who went out for this year's Polar Plunge at North Avenue Beach!🌊❄️ 🎤Carter's beachside interviews begin 8:00 into the segment: youtu.be/7uPyV5Co320 Way to go, Carter!👏

Autism is different for everyone and it's a disability that can both empower and challenge. Now more than ever, advocacy and celebration of neurodiversity matter. Show your pride with apparel from HB Threads and support workplace opportunities for individuals of all abilities: ow.ly/Me3s50Vx2Bv