Dallas and Fort Worth Easter Seals chapters merge

by PegNews wire

The Dallas and Fort Worth Easter Seals organizations have agreed to a merger, effective as early as June 1, 2007. The new organization – Easter Seals North Texas – will have four facilities in Dallas/Fort Worth, with its administration headquarters in Fort Worth.

“The reason for the merger was to pool our complementary human and financial resources to build our capacity to meet the needs of the growing number of people with disabilities. It will allow successful programs that are currently operated in some counties to be replicated in others,” said Monica Prather, President and CEO of Easter Seals North Texas.

“This is a win-win situation for the entire region,” said Gus Bates, chairman of the board. “Our mission and values are the same and the vision of what our merged organization could do was very exciting, much stronger than anything we ever could accomplish separately.”

Services for clients should not be interrupted because of the merger. Individuals and families who are receiving services will continue to work with the same staff contact(s).

The merger was nearly a year in completion. The idea was explored by the leadership of both organizations: Bates, Prather, CEO, of Easter Seals Greater Northwest Texas, and Ed Wenzel, board chair, and Francy Kragle, acting CEO of Easter Seals of Greater Dallas. A combined merger team of board members and the CEOs worked for several months to create the new organization, which will have a Governing Board and two Regional Boards – one in Dallas and one in Fort Worth.

“Our volunteers, funders and supporters have been encouraging and enthusiastic about the merger. Everybody realizes this is a fantastic opportunity,” Bates said. The staff of the new affiliate will have more than 800 years of experience working with people with disabilities.

Kragle will be the Executive VP of Strategic Initiatives for the new organization. Other senior management includes Paul Baganz, Executive Vice President Operations; Cinde Perales, Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer; Indi Jones, Executive VP Business Development; Lenee Bassham, Vice President of Development; Nancy Robinson, VP of Finance; Ray Wall, Vice President of Social Services; and Jan Daniels, Vice President of Workforce Development.

Easter Seals North Texas will serve 10,000 children and adults in a 34-county area in North Texas. The service area includes Bosque, Collin, Cooke, Comanche, Coryell, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Grayson, Hamilton, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, McLennan, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Rockwall, Smith, Somervell, Stephens, Tarrant, Van Zandt, Wise and Wood counties.

The combined organization has an operating budget of $6.3 million, nearly 100 full- and part-time employees, and 14 programs to assist children and adults with disabilities and special needs to maximize their independence. Programs include: Client Intervention, Pediatric Therapy, Employment, Adult Audiology, Assistive Technology, Equipment Loan, Community Living Assistance and Support Services, Social Security Work Incentives Planning and Assistance, Home of Your Own, Respite Care, Homemaker, Habilitation, Personal Assistance, and a program for women who have had breast cancer, which is funded by Susan G. Komen For The Cure.

Source: Easter Seals