INDEPENDENT | COVID-19
GIVING BACK IN A CRISIS
ALLPRO Members making a Difference in the Fight Against Covid-19 There’s no denying that 2020 has brought along unprecedented challenges for our ALLPRO community, and we’re all trying to navigate a new normal and do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many of us are facing the difficult prospect or reality of having to close our doors to comply with government regulations, wondering how employee checks will be paid—all while grappling with the very real threat this virus poses to our families and loved ones. It’s so easy to become consumed by all the anxiety that’s circulating, especially when turning on the six o’clock news can feel like watching a nightmare reel. Every morning, we wake up to a new headline about a new city being forced into lockdown, another hospital that is running out of ICU beds. es, we have seen how fear can multiply, but we are also learning that generosity and hope can be just as contagious. What we need now more than ever is to search for the stories that speak to our resilience, the ones that can offer hope and remind us of the ways in which communities are showing up for one another, helping to ease the extra burdens this pandemic has placed upon us. Seeking out and celebrating these small acts of kindness and bravery brings us hope in uncertain times. We’ve been so inspired seeing the way our members have rallied together to support their communities and frontline workers. Some of us are uniquely positioned to help, since the N95 masks that are in incredibly high demand are the same masks used by contractors and painters. Despite being faced with their own struggles and challenges amid this health and economic crisis, our retailers have 6 | May/June 2020 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT
looked beyond themselves and stepped up to the plate to give back to those who need it most right now. Leading by example, ALLPRO president and JC Licht owner, Elliot Greenberg, made the decision to pull their stock of N95 masks and donate them to Chicagoland hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes. In addition to this generous donation, JC Licht has transformed their delivery business to serve the communities’ senior population, opening up a hotline for those most at risk. “If they need anything at all, their medication, milk, something to read, they just have to call the number and we will leave it at their front door. Additionally, if someone is worried about an elderly person that they can’t reach, we will go to their house wearing protective gear and do a wellness check,”shares Sharon McGuckin, Vice President of Retail at JC Licht.
