(Image Description: Photo of foam core poster that contains the text: WITH Community Reception Ed Roberts Campus withfoundation.org. Photo has a red ramp in the background.)
A gathering of dedicated advocates
The WITH Foundation Board of Directors invited local grantees, community partners, disability advocates and other funders to a reception last week to introduce Ryan Easterly, the Foundation’s new Executive Director. At the reception Ryan and Lynne O’Hara, the President of the Board of Directors, shared information about WITH’s Mission and Vision, and about its recent rebranding.
The reception was held at Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley California.
WITH (Working for Inclusive and Transformative Healthcare), as many of you know, was formerly known as the Special Hope Foundation.
“Many of the members of the communities that we serve are not particularly interested in being special,” said Ms. O’Hara, “they just want to be included.”
The new name reflects the evolving focus and standards of the organization as it better reflects the vision and mission of the Foundation, adding that the name “Special Hope” was not an encouragement to the people that it serves.
“The new name also reflects our commitment to work WITH the communities we serve, not for” said Easterly.
Ryan also shared that the Foundation will focus some of its efforts on funder education as a way to encourage more inclusive grantmaking. “We will work with our philanthropic partners and assist them in including disability in their efforts,” said Ryan
In closing, Ryan thanked the Board of Directors and the attendees of the reception for the work they do and the ways in which they impact and change the lives of people with disabilities.
WITH Foundation, formerly known as the Special Hope Foundation, was founded in 2002 with the mission of promoting comprehensive healthcare for adults with developmental disabilities.