Spanda Inc

Spanda means “movement” and its motto is: “it only takes a single idea, a single action to move the world.” Spanda, Inc.’s mission is to combine optometry with other health care specialties to improve the lives of all individuals—regardless of age or personal situations—throughout the world. Spanda Inc. prides itself in partnering with other organizations to further this important mission.

Description:
Most nonprofit organizations begin with an idea and a hope of making the world we live in a better place. Spanda, Inc. is no different. In 2006, Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald, OD was compelled to help bring optometry and health care services to two remote villages located near Nairobi, Kenya.

Through this passion, she created the nonprofit, Spanda Inc. The international piece of Spanda, Inc. is evolving and is researching other countries in need of optometry and health care services. The international piece of Spanda Inc. is known as the International Eye Care Program.

Equally important to Dr. Fitzgerald, was to do give back to her local community. In 2008, under the Spanda, Inc. umbrella, she founded Cedar Rapids Vision In Motion---a comprehensive vision wellness and rehabilitation clinic. It is an occupational therapy based clinic blending the expertise of several professions together to deliver innovative, brain-based programs.

Both programs are designed to bring eye care and health care services to those most in need or to those under served by current programming or services.

History:
What Have We Accomplished
2006-Equipment, training, satellite and satellite feed was established in a rural village Kipkaren in Kenya, Africa to supply service over 700 orphaned children from AIDS/HIV.
2007 - 24'x48' Eye Care/Medical/Dentistry Clinic was built and supplied with equipment, supplies, and a locally trained staff of 9 to service the needs of surrounding area. Currently seeing over 10-15 patients daily and supplying them with prescription glasses.
2008 - Incinerator, was completed by hired local construction workers. The need for proper disposal of hazardous waste and contaminated needles, with the high risk of HIV/AIDS. This also opened up the opportunity to register as a VCT site (voluntary counseling and testing of HIV/AIDS) Our clinic staff will be using the incinerator as a safe way to burn the waste and are continuing to move forward to better themselves and others around them.
2008- Opened the Cedar Rapids Vision In Motion, a vision rehabilitation and wellness clinic that serves all ages, no matter their situation.
2008-Purchased state of art equipment VRT and SLO to enhance and ramp up therapy at CR Vision In Motion; First and only in Iowa.
2008-Raised 80K to supply running water to the clinic, orphanage and group homes in Africa. Drilling will begin 3/09
2009-Hosted our 1st annual CEU Conference; Training Your Brain to See Again.
2009-Adopted from Aging Services the low vision therapy services for Cedar Rapids area.
2009-Constructed a simulated kitchen for rehabilitation therapy.

Contact people:

Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald, Founder/President, (phone), (email) Sandy Mostaert, Operations Director, (phone), (email) Carol Luth, Chief Executive Officer, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (319) 366-4116

Address:

3255 Williams Blvd SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.spandainc.com

Directions:

Next to the Social Security Office on the Southwest side of Cedar Rapids.

Last updated on March 30, 2009