Report on Epilepsy Foundation Affiliates

The Epilepsy Foundation's 54 affiliates, located throughout the country and in Puerto Rico, serve local communities with a variety of programs and services. Each Foundation affiliate offers help to those affected by seizure disorders, while at the same time provides education about epilepsy to the community at large.

In 2005, several affiliates expanded their territories to better serve their surrounding communities. Epilepsy Foundation Southeast Louisiana, now Epilepsy Foundation Louisiana, serves the entire state. Epilepsy Foundation Greater Cincinnati expanded into Indiana's southern counties, while Epilepsy Foundation Kentuckiana currently includes all of Kentucky, except those counties already being served by Epilepsy Foundation Greater Cincinnati. These expansions have provided more community services to parts of the country not directly served in the past.

The merger of two major statewide affiliates, Washington and Oregon, into one entity, Epilepsy Foundation Northwest, took place during 2005. This created a more efficient, cost effective operation and coverage in this territory. With offices in Portland, Seattle and Spokane, the merged affiliate covers a two state area with combined population of almost 200,000 people with epilepsy. Expertise in distance management and delivery of service programs pioneered by the Oregon affiliate combined with the financial reserves of the Oregon affiliate, matched with the management, board, and infrastructure of the Washington affiliate, made a stronger organization overall.

The Epilepsy Foundation conducted its first Leadership Conference targeted specifically for Foundation affiliate staff and volunteers and designed to support capacity building in communities around the country. Approximately 200 attendees took advantage of this opportunity for dialogue, training and networking.

The Leadership Conference two-day schedule included discussions about volunteer and staff leadership, and concluded with an awards dinner which highlighted exemplary affiliate performance in programs and fundraising. Awards were given to the following affiliates:

Affiliate of the year: Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago;
Affiliate staff person of the year: Tracy Hurst (Epilepsy Foundation Southeast Texas);
Executive of the year: Judy Painter (Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania);
Program excellence: Epilepsy Foundation Northwest;
Public awareness: Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago; and
Volunteer leader of the year: Louis Testoni, CPA (Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania)

Additionally, affiliates who raised in excess of $100,000 from a fundraising event were honored. These affiliates are Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania, Epilepsy Foundation Southeast Texas, and Epilepsy Foundation San Diego County.

To replace previously conducted national conferences, the Foundation provided grants to affiliates to conduct regional conferences for people with epilepsy and their family members. These regional conferences targeted the entire country, but more specifically were able to provide quality education on a regional level.

Additionally, the Foundation provided its affiliate network with several opportunity grants throughout 2005. These grants allowed affiliates to reach out to their local communities about topics that speak most directly to those affected by epilepsy. Conferences and trainings about employment, education, treatment options and advocacy were among the presentations. In all, 75 various grants were awarded.