In an email to the EMKS staff entitled “Feel Good Friday”, EMKS’ CEO, Mike Snyder, talked about the importance of community and acts of kindness.
“We are very concerned about the well-being of our employees, friends, and family.
What you may not know is that our team also spent a lot of time thinking about the well-being of our community, Veterans, local businesses, and the people on the front lines of this pandemic. We want our company to be a beacon of light in a dark time.
The only question was how….
The approach we decided on was a two-front mission of support and acknowledgment. It involves EMKS choosing a local restaurant each week to feed the staff at the local VA hospital and other overworked healthcare providers.
Just yesterday, EMKS purchased 126 meals from a local restaurant, CD Romas, and had them deliver to the Bay Pines Hospital staff. We collaborated with the You Are Valued (YAV) movement, who EMKS already makes monthly donations to and whose mission is to show the value of others through community outreach, discussion, involvement, and inspiration. With YAV, EMKS gave cards to the people on the front lines, letting them know to see and appreciate all they are doing. The sleepless nights, the long shifts, the worry about possibly infecting themselves or their families as a result of the overflowing patients. We wanted them to know we value and appreciate everything they are doing.
This mission not only supports the overworked hospital staff but also helps keep local restaurants and their employees afloat during a time when the only certainty is uncertainty. The EMKS mission and cultural values to always do our part and to recognize that one kind act has the potential to help a struggling business stay open or refuel an exhausted front line worker by letting them know their sacrifice is noticed. In these times, these are the things that really matter.
After the lunches were delivered, we received some great pictures of VA staff enjoying their lunches. We also received an incredibly sweet message from Cindy Neavins, the MICU nurse manager at Bay Pines, thanking us for our generous gift saying, “The staff really enjoyed it and was blown away! It was really awesome for you to do this for the nurses.”
EMKS will continue to support the local VA and local restaurants throughout this trying time. Please see some of the pictures that were sent to us below and remember: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Stay safe and well everyone!