PROVIDENCE – COVID-19 was barely a dot on the national radar when The Granny Squibb Co. launched its “if we can, we will,” campaign in December.
But the decision to offer the local beverage company’s non-monetary talents to people and organizations in need took on a new importance amid the coronavirus crisis.
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In addition to donating countless cases of iced tea to area nonprofits that provide meals for vulnerable populations, the company has offered its know-how – creating a page on its website for places to get contactless groceries, highlighting other local business brands to support and even designing a shield to protect sonogram technicians at Women & Infants Hospital.
The latter was the brainchild of Nick Carr, managing partner. Nick’s father, Dr. Stephen Carr, who heads the hospital’s Prenatal Diagnosis Center and Maternal–Fetal Medicine Diagnostic Imaging, saw a need for protective equipment to shield sonogram technicians during visits with pregnant women – a service that unlike many other hospital procedures cannot be postponed despite the pandemic.
Nick Carr, a self-described tinkerer who enjoys woodworking, talked with his dad and other hospital staff to better understand what the requirements of such equipment would be. He made a few trips to The Home Depot, consulted his brother who works as an engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat, and hunkered down in the workshop adjacent to his Westerly home to come up with a prototype. After a few rounds of back-and-forth with the hospital, the clear plexiglass shield design was ready to manufacture. Nick Carr ended up making half a dozen which his dad took to work and secured to the hospital beds, creating a barrier between patients and medical staff while still allowing access to the necessary body parts.
The entire process took a few weeks – relatively simple and easy, according to Nick Carr, but a “perfect archetype” of the philosophy behind the “if we can, we will,” campaign.
“We’re not a Fortune 500 company that can dump cash into causes, but we can dedicate our energy and our network and our know-how to get creative and help people,” said Nick Carr.
The company plans to ramp up advertising of its offering of non-monetary contributions in the coming week, which since the onset of COVID-19 has not seen a lot of demand, according to co-managing partner Kelley McShane.
“We have a lot more help to give than iced tea,” she said.
Granny Squibb will also continue to donate products to area nonprofits, with at least 600 cases set aside to help address food insecurity amid the crisis, McShane said.
Providence Business News is spotlighting nonprofits, companies and workers stepping up to challenges presented by the spread of the new coronavirus.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.
