Doug Hebert
Savage Brands
Savage GOOD
2003, 2006, 2007, 2009 & 2011 Grant Recipient
2005 Judge
Doug was a judge for Ideas that Matter in 2005 and an award recipient in 2003 for his ground-breaking book, High Risk: A Handbook for the Aftercare of Premature Infants — a handbook inspired by the premature birth of his son in 1998.
The Ideas that Matter grant got this project started but it led to so much more. Getting the first piece printed and off the ground led to a healthcare organization reprinting and distributing the book to a much wider circle. So Doug’s idea, the team he worked with, and the funding from Sappi’s Ideas that Matter program changed the world for parents of premature children.
“I recognized a need in the community and knew that I could supply the ideas, the leg work and the connections to make it happen. Although I had the idea, I had to find an organization that could best benefit from the piece and who had the resources and connections to distribute it. I needed to listen to them too even if it was my idea. Together we formulated a tightly knit idea and the reasons for producing the book. We both knew what we wanted to accomplish — we set a metric. Then we assembled a competent team to pull the project off and made sure everyone understood what we had to work with financially.”
“It’s gratifying to hear when someone uses this book to benefit their family. It gives me a thrill! Using your talent to effect change is what we want as designers, so finding out that the preemie baby book can be such a benefit — that it can change people’s lives — that makes every ounce of sweat worth it.”
“My project for premature babies was so important to me that I submitted a second project and won funding for that, too. I know I can make a difference in the world — and I have with the support of an Ideas that Matter grant.”
