Pillars In The Midst of A Pandemic

Almost every community has civic and social associations that recognize and reward businesses and leaders for being pillars in the community. According to the dictionary, a Community Pillar is one who is a particularly active, respected, and influential member of one's local social sphere. They are not always public figures that you see on the daily news or in the paper. The symbolism of the word is that it provides strength and stability to whatever your local sphere may be – your company, neighborhood, or family. Today, we need these pillars to step up, even more, to give comfort and some clarity amid this pandemic.  The emerging new ‘normal’ is not normal; it is concerning and challenging for everyone. At Devault Foods, we have implemented several initiatives to reassure our team members sheltering at home, team members who are essential workers and showing up every day, and the local restaurant community that has always relied on our products. In this environment, they all need our support.

On a daily basis, we communicate with all employees on production and protection measures being taken at the plant. The FDA, CDC, and health specialists have continued to assure us that there is no evidence to support that the COVID-19 virus is spread through food. Our employees know that we regularly enforce the strictest hygiene and safety procedures, and we have elevated awareness and enforcement efforts. Even with added precautions in place, we found that it is necessary to communicate regularly with all employees to reduce anxiety. We are particularly sensitive to our team members who are at home managing their own challenges. With the right knowledge comes a sense of being connected and contributing to the end of this pandemic.

Although nationwide, two-thirds of our employees are safely ensconced in isolation at home, we are in food production, and we have essential employees that have to report to the plant every day. Daily communication with these employees helps them understand the steps that we are taking to ensure their safety. To bring added comfort, we implemented onsite testing for all personnel coming into the facility. To protect team members and their families, Devault Foods brought in Healthy Measures to set up onsite screening for every person entering the property. Screeners perform an assessment and check temperature.

As team members or visitors are given a bill of good health, they are provided with a bracelet to wear for the day. If screeners read a temperature or, based on the assessment, feel there may be a concern, our team member or visitor is asked to return home to take care and recover. We want all employees to know that we are doing everything that we can to protect their health and jobs.

Finally, and certainly not the least of importance, we are placing regular food orders with local eateries for every team member at the plant. Devault Foods has enjoyed growth and success from the foodservice industry. We have over 70 years of pride in bringing them high-quality products, and they have been loyal to the company. It is our turn to be loyal to them. As they are restricted to curbside and delivery options, their order volumes are significantly reduced. We are happy that the Devault Food orders are helping bridge the gap for many local restaurants, and over four hundred team members are enjoying the assortment of cuisines.

CALLING ALL PILLARS, the community needs us more than ever to support them in the battle against this pandemic.