A familiar quote from psychologist Abraham Maslow says, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Utah’s largest health insurance provider says that’s exactly why it relies on community partners who bring specialized tools to solve real problems.
That philosophy is at the heart of the Select Health Awards, which recognize small organizations making a big impact across Utah.
“So Maggie was one of our Select Health Awards recipients,” said Emily Allen, who works with Select Health. “Maggie was one of our Select Health Awards recipients.”
Allen said that while Select Health has significant resources, the collective power of community organizations is even greater.
“You guys are specialized in eye care, and so we try to reach organizations that are specialized and that they know their community,” Allen said. “Let me show you a problem.”
The problem is easy to see through the eyes of a struggling student — frustrated, embarrassed and wondering why everyone else seems to understand what’s happening in class.
Maggie Cline knows exactly what that student is missing.
“A pair of glasses is life changing,” Cline said. “If a kid can’t see, they can’t learn and they can’t be successful in school and in life.”
Eye Care for Kids does exactly what its name suggests. Staff and volunteers provide eye exams and glasses for children whose families may not be able to afford them. The impact goes far beyond vision.
“Absolutely,” Cline said. “So if they’re not able to see the board or to be able to read a book and they’re being called on in class, it’s embarrassing for them because they don’t know the answer to that because they can’t see what’s right in front of them.”
“And so that pair of glasses helps boost that confidence because guess what, they’ll know the answer because they can see the letters in that book,” she said.
Each year, Select Health awards 10 local organizations $5,000 each. EyeCare4Kids™ is one of this year’s recipients. Other award winners focus on meal delivery for seniors, community gardens and mental health services for LGBTQ youth — each bringing the right tools to meet the needs they see clearly.
That clarity can be transformative.
“We had a student who — the first thing that they saw was the texture on the brick walls, and they were just amazed that there was texture, and it wasn’t just a red wall,” Cline said.
EyeCare4Kids™ can use $100 to provide eye exams and glasses for three children, including brand-new frames the kids get to choose themselves.
More information about the Select Health Awards and this year’s recipients in Utah, Idaho and Nevada can be found by here.
