About NDEAM

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Easterseals Capital Region and Eastern CT is an inclusion in the workforce leader with employment services for people with disabilities and barriers.

• In the United States, 1 in 4 people identifies as having a disability.

• A staggering 61 million Americans with disabilities form one of the largest, most intersectional, and diverse minority groups in the country. This demographic can encompass individuals who have acquired disabilities through injuries, accidents, or other conditions.

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, only 21.3% of people with disabilities were employed.



• The benefits for companies that embrace inclusivity are remarkable. Those offering the most inclusive work environments for employees with disabilities outperform their competitors, achieving an average of 28% higher revenue, 30% greater economic profit margins, and twice the net income of their industry peers. Inclusion is not just morally right; it's also a sound business strategy.

Nacho's Story

Easterseals offers unique employment programs that pave the way for businesses to prioritize inclusivity in their practices, and that provide meaningful employment for our participants. Nacho Perez is one such inspiring success story as he went from a trial work experience to job placement in the food service industry with Chili’s restaurant in Windsor, CT. Easterseals has worked with Chili's in Windsor, Newington, Bristol, West Hartford, and Manchester. Nacho’s journey is a testament to the life-changing impact of Easterseals' work.

Thank you to our Easterseals Career Development Services Team for supporting Nacho  --Ben Rodriguez, Nacho’s Career Development Specialist and Dan Bracken, Career Development Services Manager. Our Easterseals career development programs include trial work experiences, competitive training, direct placements, and on-the-job training. We

partner with several businesses in the community to secure valuable work experience for our participants including  Burlington Coat Factory, Savers, Chili’s Restaurants, and more.

US Coast Guard Academy Mailroom

Easterseals Cares

about Caregivers

In a moving testimony from Revonda Goines, we get a glimpse of just how valued peace-of-mind for caring families can be. Revonda's daughter Ashanti (pictured here) is a 38 year old non-verbal autistic woman. Her successes at Easterseals are experienced by everyone in her life - and we are here to support Ashanti and her family every step of the way. Throughout the month of November, follow our Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern CT Facebook page HERE to see all the ways our Easterseals supports Caregivers.

See a video clip from Revonda's testimony HERE

A Tremendous Success!

This year, we hosted Easterseals golfers at historic Newport Country Club on Monday, October 2nd—not a cloud in the sky. History was made at Newport Country Club in 1894 when the 9-hole NCC one of the founding members of the USGA, became America's first championship venue, hosting both the inaugural U.S. Amateur and in the fall of 1895 the inaugural stroke play U.S. Open Championship. Twenty years later, Donald Ross extended Newport to 18 holes stretching it out to the Atlantic shoreline, and almost 10 years after that AW Tillinghast remodeled the entire thing.

Thanks to our company sponsors, individual sponsors, and door prize and live auction item donors, our Easterseals raised nearly $250,000 in gross revenue to support our disability and military programs.

Thank you to our Golf Steering Committee: Merritt McDonough (our Chair), John Bermel (Title Sponsor: The Friars Golf Club), Judy Casperson, Mike Herlihy, John Jezowski and Tom Mitchell. This special day would not be possible without your dedication, ideas, and teamwork.

The guest experience included 18 holes of golf at this amazing seaside links course—with player gifts, lunch, beverages, dinner and an Easterseals program with LIVE auction. A heartfelt thank you to our live auction bidders, donors, and volunteer auctioneers, Mike Herlihy and Phil Beaulieu.

Thank you to our entire event crew and volunteers—we are grateful for your support of this major fundraiser supporting our Easterseals agency!

Event Photos: HERE