Easter Seals Disability Services

The Story of Easter Seals Work Resource Center

Easter Seals Work Resource Center believes in the power of work to change lives. Work provides financial independence, builds self-esteem and enables people to contribute to society. Watch a video about our organization.

Our organization has extensive experience in creating opportunities for nearly 12,000 people with disabilities and disadvantages each year to gradually transition into the workforce and experience career success. Our participants are:

• Individuals with developmental, sensory or physical disabilities 
• People who are chronically unemployed or underemployed, including those moving from welfare-to-work
• Youth at-risk who need a support network to connect to work

Our goal is to give each participant work skills that allow him or her to be self-sufficient for life. Our outcomes speak volumes to our ability to work with difficult-to-place populations: 62 percent of our referrals achieve job placement within 60 days and 80 percent remain there after 90 days of employment.Our unique approach to job training has won many awards, including:

• 2009 ONE Award (Cincinnati Business Courier and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation)
• 2008 Greater Cincinnati Benefits Grant (Humana Foundation)
• 2008 Program of the Year - Building Ability (Southwest Ohio Rehabilitation Association)
• 2007 Torch Award (Better Business Bureau)
• 2004 Nonprofit of the Year (Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce) 
• Thomas H. Kidd Award of Excellence (Hamilton County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities)
• New Century Community Service Award (United Way Foundation)
• Rehabilitation Organization of the Year ( Southwest Ohio Rehabilitation Association)
• Sara Lee Leadership Award (Sara Lee Foundation)
• Achievement Award (National Association of Counties)

Easter Seals WRC is certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

Leadership

Lisa FitzGibbon serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for Easter Seals Work Resource Center and its subsidiary, Building Value, both private non-profit businesses that enable people with disabilities and disadvantages to succeed in employment. This year, she celebrates her 31st anniversary with Easter Seals WRC.

Under her leadership, Easter Seals WRC’s total revenues have nearly tripled to an annual budget of $6 million. By expanding Easter Seals WRC services to include programs to serve people with economic disadvantages and to serve youth transitioning to work, FitzGibbon has increased total net assets by 870%. In 1987 when FitzGibbon became president, Easter Seals WRC served 3,000 individuals. Now more than 11,000 individuals participate in Easter Seals WRC programs and collaborations annually.