“I understand why someone would consider suicide,” says Gene Geiger, former CEO of Geiger, who has been diagnosed and treated for depression. “I know what it’s like to feel so helpless and hopeless that you feel like there is no point in living. There seems to be some sense that people with mental health challenges should be able to fix themselves — and it doesn’t work like that. Sadly, our society tends to ignore, bury or be willfully ignorant of mental health issues. If we really care about the people in our community, we need to get them the professional help they need to feel well.”
“My family’s goal has always been to contribute to the greater good of our community, especially when it comes to mental health initiatives,” says Peter Geiger, current Executive Vice President at Geiger. “That’s why Geiger has been and continues to be a strong supporter of St. Mary’s.”
Geiger is the world’s largest family-owned and privately held distributor of promotional products. Currently owned by the fourth
generation of the Geiger family, the company works with clients on a variety of marketing, promotional and motivational projects.
This year, Geiger renewed their corporate sponsorship of St. Mary’s Health System in support of the Behavioral Emergency Department (BED). The BED is a crucial point of entry for individuals experiencing mental health crises. Today, the volume of patients, length of stay, patient acuity and level of severity of mental illness patients present with are at record highs.
Corporate sponsorship dollars, like those from Geiger, help supply the BED with much-needed specialized recliners that offer a safe
and comfortable space for patients, durable and cleanable weighted blankets to relieve anxiety and depression symptoms and clean antisuicide clothing for those who arrive in soiled clothing.
To learn more about supporting St. Mary’s BED and joining the Geiger company as a corporate sponsor, please visit stmarysmaine.com/corporate-sponsor or call Deb Anthoine at 207.777.8828. To learn more about St. Mary’s comprehensive Behavioral and Mental Health Services, please visit stmarysmaine.com/behavioral-and-mentalhealth or call 207.777.8700.