4

Comments

It’s Easter this Sunday – is that why we’re called Easter Seals?

by Beth

It’s Easter this Sunday, and that gives us another opportunity to explain how an organization like ours that helps people with disabilities and special needs live better lives ended up withan Easter Seal the name Easter Seals.

When we started in 1919, we were called the National Society for Crippled Children. Fifteen years later, in 1934, we launched an Easter “seals” campaign to raise money for our services. The seals were stickers about the same size as postage stamps — donors placed them on envelopes and letters to show their support.

The public support for the seals campaign was so overwhelming that it triggered a nationwide expansion and a swell of grassroots efforts on behalf of people with disabilities. By 1967 the Easter “seal” was so well recognized that we formally adopted the name, and we’ve been “Easter Seals” ever since.

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, we thank you for supporting Easter Seals and hope you enjoy seeing our seals every spring. Happy weekend!


 

Comments may not reflect Easterseals' policies or positions.


  1. Kathy fehlbaum Says:

    April 28th, 2023 at 7:45 pm

    Thank you for the great explanation! Most everyone knows the great work Easter Seals does, but not where the name originated.

  2. John Schultz Says:

    February 8th, 2019 at 10:43 am

    If Mr. Terry Kayser was disabled, I wonder if he’d like to be called “Crippled Terry”

  3. John Schultz Says:

    February 8th, 2019 at 10:42 am

    I Mr. Terry Kayser was disabled, I wonder if he’d like to be called “Crippled Terry”

  4. Terry Kayser Says:

    November 19th, 2018 at 6:17 pm

    I actually think its idiotic Easter Seals. The original name,National Society for Crippled Children, is so much better. At least with that title you know what they stand for. Like Wounded Warrior or Salvation Army. It’s easy to figure out. Most people have to Google Easter Seals to find out what it is.