Silver Spring, MD — Easterseals DC MD VA today announced it has received an in-kind donation of support services from Octo Consulting, one of the nation’s leading IT solutions firms. Support will take two forms: data management expertise to boost Easterseals’ growing data capabilities, and a partnership for community-facing activities.
Octo’s data management expertise will assist Easterseals DC MD VA’s initiative to use data to better serve the children and adults in its programs by more fully understanding their needs and measuring the impact of those programs. Over the past eight years, the organization has expanded program offerings to meet the needs of thousands of individuals and families in the area — increasing the need for more efficient data management.
Shahirah Mahmood, Ph.D., Director of Data Management, Measurement and Outcomes with Easterseals DC MD VA, noted, “Drawing actionable insights from our data so that we can continue to deliver the highest quality services in an inclusive, hopeful environment is a priority for us. By helping us centralize our data silos, Octo’s experts will enable us to elevate our efficiency and responsiveness, and ultimately our ability to serve program participants more effectively.”
The partnership between Easterseals and Octo for community-facing services will enrich two programs central to the Easterseals mission. First, the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic will benefit primarily from the creation of mental health go-kits for its veteran and active-duty clients. The kits contain items that keep veterans’ senses grounded in the present, avoiding being swept up in a “memory tornado.” In addition, Easterseals and Octo will lay the groundwork for a strong foundation in STEAM — science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics — for children aged 3-5. Teachers at Easterseals’ Child Development Center in Washington, DC will receive STEAM kits for a cohort of 21 preschool and pre-kindergarten students over a 12-month period. Octo employees will share real-world applications of STEAM in the workplace with the students, and join quarterly virtual “Show and Share” interactions in which the children showcase their own STEAM projects.
“As a business, Octo uses data science and emerging technologies to help our partners modernize and solve their problems. As citizens, we are also, and always have been, deeply committed to serving and giving back to our communities,” said Ethan Meurlin, Octo’s Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships. “Being able to use our capabilities to help local non-profits in the cities where we have a presence achieve their goals allows us to use the best of both our corporate capability and our passion for service. Our donation will enable Easterseals DC MD VA to access the data they need to analyze their programs and enhance their outcomes.”
Easterseals DC MD VA – Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through direct and life-changing disability and community services. Since 1945, Easterseals DC MD VA has worked tirelessly to enhance quality of life and expand access to healthcare, education, and employment. And we won’t rest until each one of us is valued, respected, and accepted. Join us: www.eseal.org.
Octo is a technology firm dedicated to solving the Federal Government’s most complex challenges, enabling agencies to jump the technology curve. With a mission and service first mentality, we modernize and innovate by providing at-scale Agile, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Cloud, Open Source, and Data Science solutions. Visit www.octo.us to learn more.