Mar 18, 2009
The Wasie Foundation - Mobile Outreach Unit
Examples of philanthropy’s results
For Marie Wasie, the wife of former Minneapolis trucking pioneer and philanthropist Stanley Wasie, one of the biggest problems facing America was the poor healthcare being provided to a growing number of young Americans. Mrs. Wasie’s youthful spirit and vision is reflected through The Wasie Foundation‘s efforts to create a brighter future for children with medical problems.
For the past 20 years, Gillette Specialty Healthcare has been providing clinics and assistive technology services to remote areas of Minnesota. These rural regions present significant obstacles for traditional health care services due to their isolated location and the cost of travel needed to reach such areas. In light of this desperate need, The Wasie Foundation found a unique solution that combined innovation with a sense of compassion reminiscent of Marie Wasie.
In 2004, The Wasie Foundation provided a $197,000 grant to Gillette Specialty Healthcare for the purchase of a new Mobile Outreach Unit. Traveling in specially equipped vans, staff members bring assistive technology services to those individuals who were previously isolated from advanced medical care.
Mobile Outreach Clinics are tailored to meet the needs of each community. These clinics provide education and training for community service providers and fit local individuals for assistive technology devices. In addition to workstations, welders, and other tools, each of these vans has the capability of transporting a wide range of specialized assistive technology devices, such as augmentative communication aids and computer assistance devices to outreach sites.
David Wilkie, the manager of Gillette Assistive Technology and the Mobile Outreach Unit, knows the importance of local providers being equipped with the proper technologies to assist their patients.
For over 20 years, Mr. Wilkie and his staff have brought assistive technologies to local providers allowing these individuals to provide greater aid to those children most in need. Just last year in 2004, over 150 Mobile Outreach Clinics provided care to children throughout the state of Minnesota.
Healthier children and greater opportunities for those with medical problems were goals of Marie Wasie. Today, The Wasie Foundation continues to look out for the welfare of America’s youth and through its efforts thousands of children enjoy a healthier and happier childhood.