Every year, the Murdock Trust seeks to provide a sampling of some of the groups we partner with throughout the year and their collective impact on the common good through a storytelling project. For this year’s annual video project, we are taking a look at four different service sectors, some of the groups we are inspired by and how they have stepped up to help serve and support those in need during these historic times. You can see our previous videos on the impact of Community Foundations here, Food Banks here and Healthcare here.
From a young age, our benefactor, Jack Murdock, embraced the power of scientific innovation to change lives. Fascinated by the development of new technologies, Jack built his work and career around the idea that scientific discovery plays an instrumental role in improving and enhancing the human condition so that all individuals have an opportunity to flourish and thrive.
In the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that scientific research and innovation would be critical contributors as our communities sought to successfully address the spread of the virus. Through our 45 years of serving the Pacific Northwest, we have had the unique opportunity to partner with and observe some of the region’s finest scientific minds as they have worked to address a wide variety of medical and social challenges facing our communities. As awareness of COVID-19 began to grow, we saw as many of these same brilliant minds brought their own unique background and work to collaborate on solutions and treatments to fight the virus. Whether they were previously focused on infectious diseases, chronic illness or any other number of scientific disciplines, these dedicated organizations and individuals asked “how might we be able to help in this fight?” They then sought to deploy their expertise in any way that might help benefit individuals and families during this historic moment of need.
In this video, we share a handful of examples of the collaborative spirit and innovative thinking that has been brought to the table by a diverse array of individuals and organizations in the scientific community. We thank the Fred Hutchinson Research Center, Montana State University and Providence Health Systems for their participation in this project and the numerous other individuals and organizations across the Pacific Northwest and around the country who have sought to develop innovative solutions to help serve the common good.
