There is no part of the world, or our society that is not impacted by the spread of this disease. While the global economy has suffered a major blow, companies everywhere are stepping up to do their part to help front line workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
From businesses that have pivoted from their normal products to manufacturing medical equipment, to those that are providing meals for health care workers, businesses small and large are showing their heart and soul to try and do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 and help those that are on the front-lines of this global fight.
RGF Environmental
RGF Environmental is a Florida-based company that manufactures over 500 environmental products without the use of chemicals. In response to the COVID-19 crisis the company developed a revolutionary sanitizing process for personal protective equipment. Using this new method 30,000 N95 facemasks per day can be sanitized for front-line workers. Sanitizing the masks allows them to be safely used multiple times.
The sanitization process is a modified version of an RGF food sanitation tunnel. Masks are loaded onto conveyors, which slowly move them past a combination of RGF’s patented Photohydroionization® (PHI) process and germicidal UV light. PHI uses UV light targeted on a catalyst to create airborne hydrogen peroxide gases in an advanced oxidation process, and UV light focused on the masks to sterilize contact surfaces. By increasing the hydrogen peroxide generation RGF is able to achieve a level predicted to kill COVID-19.
Atlanta-based Capstone Healthcare Lab is the first facility using the RGF solution to sanitize its supplies and those of local hospitals.
Nottingham Spirk
Who better than a company rooted in disruptive innovation to step up during this crisis? Nottingham Spirk has partnered with researchers at Penn State Behrend, the Case Western Reserve University’s Sears think[box] innovation team and local manufacturing companies to create and produce a face shield that will be mass produced quickly for medical professionals who are treating patients with COVID-19. With the capacity to produce approximately 5,000 face shields each day, the team is expected to produce nearly 240,000 shields and has made the pattern available via open source on their website for other manufacturers to carry it forward even further.
The Nutty Gourmet
Small businesses are some of the most severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis, but family owned The Nutty Gourmet still wanted to do its part. The walnut farm and processing facility donated nearly 7,000 of its nut butter jars to the UC Davis Medical Center.
“UC Davis is very close to our hearts,” Vice President of Sales & Marketing Tony Varni added. “As a fellow alum, I wanted to make sure our company did something to put a smile on the faces of these nurses and doctors who are risking their lives for our community day in and day out.”
Lunchbox
The restaurant industry has been hurt hard by COVID-19. Nabeel Alamgir, CEO and Co-Founder of Lunchbox created an ordering platform to help restaurants called, HelpMainStreet.com. Consumers can purchase gift cards that can be used on delivery orders or simply make a donation. The electronic gift cards can be used by the purchaser or given as a gift. It’s a perfect way to send a front-line worker a token of appreciation, or remind a family member or friend that even apart, you’re still connected.
By pulling together individuals and businesses are helping everyone create hope and a path out of the COVID-19 crisis.