On this page:
→ Important Information about the Equipment Funding Program
Easter Seals Ontario helps families with the cost of equipment that is required by children and youth with physical disability. Only children and youth who are registered as Easter Seals Ontario clients may apply for the Equipment Funding Program. To find out if your child is eligible to be registered with Easter Seals Ontario, check Register your Child. The program only funds eligible equipment List of Equipment we Fund and the application for the Equipment Funding Program must be approved before the equipment is ordered.
To be eligible for the Equipment Funding Program children and youth with physical disabilities must meet the following criteria:
- under the age of 19 years and registered with Easter Seals Ontario*,
- a legal resident of Ontario,
- have a valid Ontario Health Card,
- have a permanent physical disability that restricts their independent mobility and results in the use of a primary mobility device.
*PLEASE NOTE: Children and youth registered for the Incontinence Supplies Grant Program are not eligible for Easter Seals’ Equipment Funding Program unless they also have a physical disability that restricts their independent mobility and results in the use of a primary mobility device.
The Equipment Funding Program is supported by funds raised form individual donors, special events, corporate partners and foundations. Funding available each year may vary and the number of requests we are able to fulfill will depend on available funds.
You can find specific information about the Equipment Funding Program on these pages:
- Who is Eligible
- Equipment We Fund
- Register Your Child
- How to Apply for Equipment Funding
- Other Sources of Equipment Funding
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Easter Seals Ontario Equipment Funding Program
Important Information about the Equipment Funding Program:
-
- The amount of funding approved may vary based on the item and how much money Easter Seals has at the time the request is received.
- Applications will be accepted from January 1 to September 30 or until all available funding has bee allocated. Please note, there is tremendous demand for this program, and as a result, it is not uncommon for Easter Seals to exhaust all funds prior to September.
- The maximum funding Easter Seals Ontario assists with is $3,000 per child, per calendar year.
- One application must be completed for each piece of equipment being requested.
- The Equipment Funding Program application for financial assistance must be submitted to Easter Seals and you must have received a response back from us prior to the equipment/items being ordered or received.
- Easter Seals Ontario will only fund items on its current list of approved items. Easter Seals Ontario reserves the right to make the decision as to whether an item requested meets the funding criteria and is on the list of approved items.
- Parents are asked to pay a minimum of $100 of each request approved by Easter Seals directly to the vendor upon delivery of the equipment. If the family is not able to pay the $100 due to financial difficulties, this must indicated clearly on the application form under parent contribution with a reason why they are unable to contribute.
- Parents must access all other sources of funding available to them prior to requesting funds from Easter Seals Ontario. You must call and check with your Employer’s Extended Health Care Benefits to see if they will assist with the requested item. Parents should also check with other organizations that provide direct funding, such as the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy Canada, and the Home and Vehicle Modification Program administered by March of Dimes Canada.
- Parents are responsible for all equipment costs beyond the funding provide by Easter Seals Ontario and other funders.