JACKSONVILLE, Fla — As many small businesses struggle to keep their employees on the payroll during the coronavirus pandemic, a Jacksonville moving company is getting creative. Instead of laying off its workers, Baymeadows Movers is paying them to do volunteer work.
"The other option would be to pretty much lay them off, and the crews that we have here right now are really vital. We have a lot of good guys work for us," Chris McCreary, Baymeadows Movers Sales Manager, explained.
Business for the family-owned moving company was down about 50% in March, McCreary said. Now instead of moving beds and tables, the movers are transporting produce, meat and other food to help those in need. They're being paid to do volunteer work at BEAM Food Bank and Feeding Northeast Florida.
"We're paying them to go down there and provide volunteer services, and we're happy to do that," McCreary said. "BEAM tells us that most of their volunteers are 65 years old and older, so a lot of their normal volunteers are not able to be there right now."
The roughly 20 employees on the payroll are helping pick up a load Lori Richards, BEAM's Executive Director, said is needed right now.
"We did have to basically, I guess, kind of furlough some of our volunteers who are over the age of 65, asking that they stay safer at home, and it has really put a strain on our processes and the volunteers that are with us," Richards said. "So we are just really thrilled to have a couple of extra-strong backs that can help us both collect the food, bring it into the food bank, sort it, make sure that everything is safe and appropriate for us to send back out. To be creative in finding ways that people can be redeployed to provide some good support to us is just wonderful."
BEAM is no longer accepting food donations but encourages supporters to make a donation to its “Virtual Food Drive" to help the organization buy food in bulk and minimize personal contact.
If you are food insecure and need help call United Way at 211 to be connected to an organization near you.