The Giving Board at Eyes for Life in Spokane, Washington, is a giant bulletin board proudly displayed in the office to highlight the charities where Heavin Maier, OD, is currently donating a portion of the practice’s profits. The concept for the Giving Board was born while Dr. Maier was working with the Lutheran Community Services, where she was a board member helping to raise awareness and funds toward efforts to end sex trafficking. “It was a way to educate my patients on the causes that were important to me,” Dr. Maier says. Currently, the board features information on Doctors Without Borders and Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, a local organization that provides safety for children, strengthens families and creates a healthier community in an environment of unconditional love. She has also recently supported Optometry Giving Sight on the Giving Board.
To spread the wealth, these charities change every year or two, and Dr. Maier also gives patients a chance to provide their input on a charity that they would like Dr. Maier to support. “Patients can nominate a charity that is important to them by putting the name of the organization in a box,” which is displayed near the Giving Board, Dr. Maier explains. They submit their name and the charity that they are passionate about, and Dr. Maier supports a unique patient-nominated charity each month with a donation of $300, in addition to her donations for the Giving Board charities.
Beyond her monetary contributions, Dr. Maier also helps others in her community by providing eye care services at least every month and a half, along with a rotation of other local ODs in Spokane, at the Union Gospel Mission clinic. Dr. Maier encourages not only her family and staff to be passionate about an organization of their choice, but she encourages that to her patients as well. Many patients who have moved away from Spokane come back to her for their eye care due to her reputation as a thorough, caring doctor and for her values.
Click here to read more about Dr. Maier’s practice.
