Due to local, state, and national guidelines that have been put in place across the country, all non-essential businesses and services have been instructed to close down in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.
People have been instructed to stay home unless they are going out for essential items, such as medications, groceries, and other necessary supplies.
Many companies and small businesses are suffering due to a lack of sales, which makes it difficult to keep paying their staff if they decide to shut down until the pandemic ends.
In my town in Texas, I know that small businesses and restaurants adapted their menus and daily offerings to try to work around this challenging time, but they were still losing too much to continue operating.
Between trying to keep staff safe by providing the proper protective equipment in addition to following guidelines that encourage people to stay at least six feet away from each other, managers and business owners have faced difficult decisions in the past few weeks.
The amount of staff working at once has had to decrease at most businesses and restaurants, which has caused owners to make the hard decision of laying off some of their staff because they cannot afford to pay them.
Many owners are also trying to accommodate their staff who do not feel comfortable with working during this pandemic.
Instead of trying to manage all of the aforementioned things, a lot of businesses have decided to lay off their staff, close their doors, and reevaluate their business plans.
This gives their staff the ability to file for unemployment benefits instead of potentially being paid little to nothing given the amount of business they are receiving.
While this is a difficult decision for any business owner to face, it seems that many are choosing to make it because it means that their employees will be better off during this crisis.
Many restaurants are still getting creative and trying to make the best with what they’ve got.
From boxes of ingredients that can be used to make meals at home to no-contact delivery, people are trying to help get their restaurants and businesses through this crisis.
One aspect of this pandemic that has not been heavily mentioned in the media is the food supply chain and how it is being affected by it.
As many restaurants are choosing to offer limited menus or a few select dishes and many others are closing their doors, food suppliers end up with a lot of ingredients and food on their hands.
Most of this food will end up in landfills because they have nowhere else to sell to, and this is where one of my favorite companies comes in.
Imperfect Foods is a company dedicated to eliminating food waste that is created by breaks in supply chains, surplus products, and the mass amounts of foods that do not meet specifications to be sold in stores.
Such specifications can include avocados that are too small or too large, apples with limb rub and scarring, and oddly shaped carrots.
Just because they do not represent the perfect image of these foods, they often go to waste.
Instead, Imperfect Foods offers a wide variety of foods at a discounted price.
Because these foods would otherwise end up in landfills, it’s a great way to help eliminate food waste.
Right now, they are also working with food suppliers that typically sell to restaurants in order to help farmers and suppliers make money off their perfectly good food as well as keep it from going to waste.
The concept of Imperfect Foods is amazing, and while they are not delivering in Florida just yet, I have had the opportunity to receive a couple of boxes since I’ve been in quarantine.
Each week brings new ingredients and specialty food items, and it is also very convenient that I can avoid contact with others and skip the grocery store.
There are also plenty of ways to support local restaurants and businesses during this uncertain time.
One of the best ways to do this is by purchasing a gift card to that place, which gives the business the funds immediately and will encourage you to visit them once social distancing comes to an end.
Another way you can support a business that may not be open as they normally are is through online ordering and shopping!
Whether that means placing an order from your favorite coffee shop online or by phone and then driving over to pick it up or buying yourself some self-care items from online stores, helping small businesses is worth it.
One of my favorite online shops is Twenty Seven, which focuses on positivity, mental health, and seeing the good in every situation.
I received an order from them last week, and the small package made my heart incredibly happy.
Twenty Seven calls their orders sunshine mail, and it truly lives up to that name.
The envelope was packed with confetti and the cutest packaging and was a definite bright spot in the monotony of the last few weeks.
Not to mention, it also supported a small artist and helped them get through this tough time.
In the end, we all have to look out for each other.
If you love and appreciate a local business, help them get through this crisis by supporting in any way you may be able to.
From sharing posts on social media to placing online orders, there are plenty of ways to support your favorite places!
It’s important to remember that we are all going through this weird and uncertain time together, and the best thing we can do is support and lift each other up during this time.
If you’ve been waiting on making a purchase from your favorite shop or are craving some takeout, there’s no time like the present to support the places you love!