Best of Bellevue: Protecting Our Healthcare Heroes

PROTECTING OUR HEALTHCARE HEROES

Many local organizations and companies are assisting our local first responders, healthcare workers, and front-line employees. We are thrilled by the diversity and creativity demonstrated in these companies’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sturtevant’s Sports

Sturtevant’s Bellevue store is a drop off location for the “Goggles for Docs” program. Goggles for Docs is an effort to get used or new ski goggles into the hands of healthcare workers who currently have no eye protection as they treat COVID-19 patients. All gear should be wiped down and placed into a sealed Ziploc bag and placed in the drop-off bin at the Bellevue Sturtevant’s location at 13131 NE 20th Street.

Global Innovation Exchange (GIX)

To provide immediate relief for the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the UW Medicine hospital system, the Global Innovation Exchange is producing low-cost, reusable face shields at the GIX Makerspace. This facility has the capacity to produce at least 40 face shields per day. The GIX team is also testing production of a facemask and will eventually prototype and produce gowns, aerosol boxes, and ventilator valves. GIX is located in Bellevue’s Spring District and is a partnership between the University of Washington and China’s Tsinghua University.

Eddie Bauer

Outdoor outfitter Eddie Bauer is producing and donating at least 20,000 surgical and N95 masks to local healthcare facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Eddie Bauer’s headquarters is in downtown Bellevue.

Glassybaby - Donations to hospital worker relief efforts

Glassybaby was founded with giving in mind. Starting on April 15, 2020 $10 from every glassybaby purchased will be donated to the white light fund and support hospital worker relief efforts and food banks supporting our communities. Glassybaby has a store on Main Street in Downtown Bellevue.

REI Co-op

REI has granted $100,000 to the 100 Million Mask Challenge. The 100 Million Mask Challenge is a nationwide effort to produce and deliver much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) on a large scale for our health care heroes. REI headquarters is moving to Bellevue in 2020.