Hey everyone, I’m Archie – the Black Hat watchdog. It’s been a little crazy around here lately but I have to admit, I’m really enjoying having everyone home. There are lots of warm laps to nap in throughout the day. I sense everyone is stressed and worried, but I’m here to tell you that I’m seeing so much good come out of all this. We are spending more time together as a family, people are checking on each other, the pace of life has slowed, and we’re definitely getting out and exercising more. I’m beginning to wonder if this really is a crisis or a much needed pause for us all to reevaluate what’s most important in life and reset a new normal for our lives.

My bed sits beside the Mad Hatter’s desk and I’m hearing some cool conversations about what people are doing right now to help each other. Have you thought about what you could do to turn this negative into a real positive for your community? Think about this …

* Do you have things in your kitchens and warehouses that could help those in need in your community? So many families are in crisis. Do you have food or products that might expire soon that you could donate to your local food banks and non-profits that are standing on the front lines?
* With the shortage of PPE, many people are sewing up masks. Do you have new, unused linens stacked in your storeroom that could be sewn into masks for healthcare professionals, the elderly, or volunteers at your local non-profits?
* Your commercial laundry rooms could be a godsend to local shelters and healthcare clinics that have linens that need to be deep cleaned.
* Do you have vehicles going unused right now that you could use to help deliver food and supplies to those who can’t get out? Or empower the supply chain for your local nonprofits?
* If you have empty hotel rooms, ballrooms or warehouse space, offer it up to local hospitals and non-profits to house and sort supplies as they experience unprecedented demand.
* If you’ve got extra time on your hands, you could volunteer with your local Medical Reserve Corps – they have roles for both clinicians and non-clinicians! (Learn more here)
* And don’t forget to take this time to thank your staff, volunteers, clients and others that are vital to the success of your business.

I challenge you all to find one thing to do each day to take care of each other and give back!