Third time’s the charm: Extreme Makeover this Sunday


Posted by Beth Finke on March 5th, 2009

Remember our blog post last March about the Extreme Home Makeover show? Back then, actress Marlee Matlin had appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to present a $50,000 college scholarship to Stefan Vardon. Stefan’s parents are both deaf and his younger brother has autism. Matlin is an amazing advocate for people with disabilities and is …Read More » »

Another “Extreme Makeover” for Easter Seals


Posted by Beth Finke on January 9th, 2009

Remember our blog post last March about the Extreme Home Makeover show? Back then, actress Marlee Matlin had appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to present a $50,000 college scholarship to Stefan Vardon. Stefan’s parents are both deaf and his younger brother has autism. Matlin is an amazing advocate for people with disabilities and …Read More » »

Three cheers for autism program innovation


Posted by Erin Rogers on May 13th, 2008

Last month at the Easter Seals Training Conference I had the great honor of accepting an award for my affiliate’s expansion of comprehensive services for children and families living with autism. The award is the Lou Lowenkron award for Program Innovation, and it’s given to one Easter Seals affiliate staff person each year.

They say it takes a village to raise …Read More » »

Autism documentary wins AP award


Posted by Norma Rossi on April 21st, 2008

Celebrate! An autism documentary that Easter Seals Peoria-Bloomington helped put together just won a big award! The Illinois Associated Press Broadcasters Association named Autism Epidemic best documentary of the year at an award ceremony in Springfield this past Saturday.

Autism Epidemic first aired in August 2007 to spread awareness of autism and to get more children screened at an …Read More » »

Autism and the economic divide


Posted by Erin Rogers on February 6th, 2008

A Newsday article looks at why affluent school districts “classify more than five times as many of their students with autism as districts at the opposite end of the economic spectrum.”

The Newsday survey drew on state data from school districts whose enrollments were more than 500.
Advocates who have compiled similar data voice concern that many …Read More » »