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In Remembrance: Nina Eaton

“Nina was so much a part of our history and our lives. The lives of individuals with disabilities will be forever enriched because of her legacy.”

Stephen H. Friedman
President and CEO, UCP of Suffolk.

On March 30, 2012, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) and the entire disability community was saddened to lose one of its founders, Nina Eaton, an emeritus member of the UCP Board of Trustees and a longtime supporter and advocate for people with disabilities.

Eaton’s lifetime of advocacy began with the birth of her son, Leonard Eaton, who was born with cerebral palsy in 1941. Together with other parents of children with disabilities, including UCP founders Leonard and Isabelle Goldenson, and Jack and Ethel Hausman, Eaton helped to lay the foundation for a far-reaching organization that has enhanced the lives of millions of Americans with disabilities. More than a half century later, UCP is an international network of nearly 100 affiliates milions of people with disabilities every year.  

“UCP was deeply saddened to lose such a tremendous advocate in Nina Eaton. Her life’s work has been integral to advancing the civil rights movement for people with disabilities. Nina was an amazing woman is greatly missed by the entire UCP family and disability advocates alike."

Stephen Bennett
President & CEO of United Cerebral Palsy

Best known for her tireless lobbying, which led to regional and national expansion of community-based services for people with disabilities, Eaton also helped to educate communities about cerebral palsy, which, like most developmental disabilities at the time, carried significant social stigma. Eaton remained an active leader in the disability community, and served on the Board of Directors of UCP of Suffolk for the past 20 years. She also served on the UCP national Board of Trustees and most recently as an emeritus board member.

Each year, UCP honors an affiliate with the Nina Eaton Program of the Year Award as part of the UCP Awards for Excellence. The UCP affiliate award winners are honored for making an extraordinary contribution to the quality of life to people with disabilities through the delivery of state-of-the art direct services in the affiliate's community. Award recipients are chosen based on affiliates’ ability to enable the individuals served to become more independent, productive or integrated into the family or community, and the programs stand out as a model worthy of replication by other UCP affiliates. Eaton loved the Awards for Excellence and served as the presenter for many years.

 

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United Cerebral Palsy
1825 K Street NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006

Phone: 800.872.5827 / 202.776.0406