HLS 19RS-1083 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 54
BY REPRESENTATIVE WHITE
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates April 22, 2019, as Easterseals Day in
Louisiana
1 A RESOLUTION
2To designate Monday, April 22, 2019, as Easterseals Day in Louisiana.
3 WHEREAS, on April 22, 1919, Easterseals was formed to highlight and address the
4healthcare and service needs of children with disabilities; and
5 WHEREAS, in 1945, in order to meet the needs of returning World War II veterans
6and other adults with disabilities, Easterseals expanded its child-focused mission by opening
7its programs and services to include adults; and
8 WHEREAS, since its inception, Easterseals has strongly advocated for services and
9supports for individuals with disabilities, a fact evident in its authoring of a 1931 Bill of
10Rights for children with disabilities that helped pave the way for government-funded
11disability services and increased public awareness of the needs of children with disabilities;
12and
13 WHEREAS, Easterseals has grown from its humble beginnings in Elyria, Ohio, to
14become an influential organization that oversees a network of leading nonprofit
15organizations in states across the country; and
16 WHEREAS, these organizations deliver high-quality services and supports to
17children and adults with disabilities, veterans, older adults, caregivers, and their families to
18help the disabled achieve milestones, live independently, and fully participate in the life of
19their communities; and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 19RS-1083 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 54
1 WHEREAS, Easterseals Louisiana was formed in 1951 to serve the people of
2Louisiana, and it currently has nearly two hundred employees in offices across the state who
3support more than 10,000 individuals with disabilities annually; and
4 WHEREAS, the programs instituted by Easterseals Louisiana include support
5coordination for home and community based waiver services, EarlySteps System Point of
6Entry, Transitional Housing, mental health rehabilitation, the Program for the Evaluation and
7Enrichment of Relational Skills, or PEERS, and Campership, which provides tuition
8assistance to disabled children and young adults to help them attend summer camp; and
9 WHEREAS, the mission of Easterseals is best summarized in the words of its
10founder Edgar Allen, a parent, businessman, and Rotarian, who once said that "Your life and
11mine shall be valued not by what we take, but by what we give"; and
12 WHEREAS, on April 22, 2019, Easterseals will celebrate its one hundredth
13anniversary.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
15Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Monday, April 22, 2019, as Easterseals Day
16in Louisiana and does hereby commend Easterseals for its impact on the lives of millions of
17Americans and for its commitment to expanding possibilities for children and adults with
18disabilities, veterans, seniors, and others.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
20to Tracy Garner, President/CEO of Easterseals Louisiana.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 54 Original 2019 Regular Session White
Designates April 22, 2019, as Easterseals Day in La.
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