Wisconsin Healthcare Facility Wins $25,000

National Office Furniture last week announced the winner of its $25,000 Gift of Inspiration for Healthcare Environments award — the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, WI. Specifically, the $25,000 was awarded to UW Hospital’s Health and Healing Committee which plans to use the funds for both new and ongoing projects such as noise reduction, air quality, healing gardens, family caregiver support, quiet spaces, living landscapes, music to medicine, and updating mapping for awareness of walking paths and gardens to encourage outdoor activity.

Therefore, National introduced the $25,000 Gift of Inspiration to benefit healthcare organizations by supporting the needs in areas such as technology, the patient experience, staff morale, training and enrichment programs, or facility enhancements.

Ardis Hutchins, Interior Architect, UW Hospital, said, “True healing comes in part from a comfort level or peace of mind knowing that you have the caring and support of UW Hospital to overcome the challenges you face. A soothing, conscious healing environment plays a vital role in recovery and a lifetime of well being.”

“Through their generosity, National Office Furniture has stepped into the role of healer,” stated Joel Wish, Health Psychologist, UW Hospital, Co-Chair Health and Healing Committee. “This gift from National Office Furniture recognizes the importance of a healing environment. We’re grateful for their support and what it will enable us to do for patients and families.”

“Often times, what matters most cannot be found only in blood work and CT scans. In trying to understand how complex systems heal, we need to listen to the patient’s unique story and their emotions to connect to their hope, meaning and purpose. These are the most powerful healing mechanisms and where we will focus the Gift of Inspiration donation,” stated David Rakel, MD, Director, University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine.

About The Award
National received over 1,000 registrants from healthcare organizations nationwide for the $25,000 Gift of Inspiration for Healthcare. Healthcare organizations could automatically register to win by visiting National’s website; no purchase was necessary or required.

This is National Office Furniture’s second Gift of Inspiration recipient. In October, 2009, Southwest Middle School in Savannah, GA, won the Gift of Inspiration for Education using the funds to start an after school life mentoring program for at-risk students.

National is currently running its third Gift of Inspiration, again for Education Environments, which ends on August 31, 2010.

(Photo above) L to R: Denise Zoratti-Hill, District Manager, National Office Furniture; Kevin McCoy, General Manager, National Office Furniture; Ron Sliwinski, Chief Operating Officer, UW Hospital; Ardis Hutchins, Interior Architect, UW Hospital; Bob Rohlman, VP of Sales, National Office Furniture; Kourtney Smith, VP of Marketing, National Office Furniture