About Us

1931 – Easter Seals Nova Scotia was first registered as “Nova Scotia Society for the Care of Crippled Children” (NSSCC), a campaign which raised money for NS children with physical disabilities for traveling clinics initially.

1947 – First “Easter Seals Mail Campaign” (Ontario)

1947 – The “Foundation for Poliomyelitis and Rehabilitation” (CFPR) formed its first NS Board of Directors. CRPR is historically known as the March of Dimes which was initially a fundraising campaign to fight polio and later evolved to help rehabilitate individuals with physical disabilities.

1949 – First Easter Seals Mail Campaign in NS – Sydney area only.

1952 – First province-wide Easter Seals Mail Campaign with its office in Halifax.

1956-2005 – “Easter Seals Mobile Medical Clinic” (originally known as the Crippled Children’s Clinic (C.C.C). This was the first clinic of its kind in Eastern Canada that had specialists in both Pediatrics and Orthopedics who traveled to rural areas of Nova Scotia.

1958 – Camp Tidnish program began for Easter Seals children, in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Amherst who owned and operated the camp ever since 1937.

1960 – New Leaf Enterprises training centre opened its doors in Halifax under the guidance of the Canadian Foundation for Poliomyelitis and Rehabilitation and the Junior League.

1962- New Leaf Enterprises centre was incorporated and accepted as a training school for offset printing for disabled individuals by the Department of Education.

1965- New Leaf Enterprises training centre was formally passed to Easter Seals Nova Scotia.

1964 – Merger of the Nova Scotia Society for the Care of Crippled Children (NSSCCC) with Canadian Foundation for Poliomyelitis and Rehabilitation (CFPR) to become the “Nova Scotia Division of the Canadian Rehabilitation Council for the Disabled” (CRCD-NS)

1985 – CRCD–NS changed name to “Abilities Foundation of Nova Scotia” (AFNS). This change created a more positive image of the population served by stressing their abilities, not their physical limitations.

1986 – First Labatt 24 Hour Relay fundraising event held in Halifax in support of Easter Seals Nova Scotia.

1987 – Easter Seals Nova Scotia (known as the Abilities Foundation of Nova Scotia) started operating Camp Tidnish at the Rotary Club of Amherst’s request.

1992 – New Leaf Enterprises begins food services program.

2001 – Easter Seals Nova Scotia (known as the Abilities Foundation) was one of the first charities in Canada to adopt the Canadian Center Philanthropy’s initial Ethical Fundraising code guidelines.

2002- New Leaf Enterprises began business skills initiative receiving computer systems from IBM.

2002- Duke of Edinburgh Award adapted to include youth with physical disabilities. Easter Seals organizes this Award for people with disabilities as part of its Active Living programs.

2003- First person with a disability in Nova Scotia to receive the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

2005 – Take PART (Physically Accessible Recreation Today) program started.

2009 – Use of single public identity “Easter Seals Nova Scotia.”