The Colorado business community faces unprecedented challenges due to the global pandemic. As companies work to stay in business and adjust to a new normal, many are evolving their business strategies, utilizing modern technology to adapt, and contributing millions to their communities and their employees. Here’s a look at how some Colorado Chamber members are responding to the crisis.
The Colorado-based aerospace company Lockheed Martin is taking action to protect their employees and their communities. Among other things, they’ve activated a $6.5 million employee disaster relief fund to assist Lockheed Martin employees and retirees impacted with COVID-19. The company is also committed to helping the defense industrial base to continue operations, sustain jobs and support the economy – estimating that they will be able to flow down over $450 million in accelerated payments to their supply chain partners who are critical to supporting our economy and national security. In addition, Lockheed Martin has pledged $10 million to non-profit organizations involved in COVID-19 related relief and assistance, with emphasis on veterans and military families.
Lockheed Martin is also committed to hiring during the pandemic. The company is looking to fill 750 open positions in Colorado and 1,200 nationally.
Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery (CMAR) has been developing a premier opioid recovery program to enable individuals throughout Colorado to fully recover from opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health concerns simultaneously. But when the COVID crisis hit, the company had to decide how to move forward after months of research and modeling.
“At first we thought we would have to put it on hold, but that didn’t sit well with us when we learned that by most estimates, the state’s opioid problem would sharply rise in the coming months, as isolation from the COVID quarantine impacts peoples social lives, mental health and economic security,” said Cortland Mather-Suter, managing partner for CMAR. “Our model combines the medical, therapeutic, and peer-based components of the recovery experience, in an integrated and structured setting, which is uncommon in Colorado. People need this,” he concluded.
In response, the company began developing a tele-health treatment program offering individuals the ability to recover from opioid use and mental health disorders from the comfort of their homes if they choose. CMAR will now have a fully remote version of its services to ensure patients statewide can access the program.
The company plans to open in late May of this year, and will offer the entire program to patients from their home, in person, or a mix between the two. Their first physical location will be located at 8800 Fox Drive in Thornton, CO. More information can be found on CMAR’s Facebook page.
Novartis, a global health care company, has quickly mobilized R&D capabilities, medicines, clinical trials expertise and philanthropic aid to address the coronavirus pandemic. They are sponsoring clinical trials of potential treatments for the virus and have donated 130 million doses of Novartis medicines for this purpose.
In addition, the Novartis COVID-19 Response Fund will provide $20 million to support communities around the world most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Dependable Cleaners, a third-generation Denver dry cleaning business, has had to make difficult decisions to continue operations due to a major decline in business. Yet, as is often said, with challenge comes opportunity. The company has expedited a strategic evolution of its services and made rapid changes in real time, including expanding free pickup and delivery, introducing a new wash-and-fold subscription, and offering promotional pricing on certain services.
HealthONE, an affiliate of HCA Healthcare), one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, has announced that the HCA Healthcare Foundation will provide more than $1 million in grants to local community organizations to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts.
The one-time grants of $10,000 to $250,000 have been distributed to community partners that are focused on the COVID-19 emergency response and food banks. In the Denver metro area, the beneficiaries include Mile High United Way and the Foodbank of the Rockies. Community support is strong around these areas. In addition to the grants, some people are also considering prepper food storage systems to cope with any unfortunate emergencies that can come about.
The pandemic has brought together a lot of businesses and NGOs to help those who are facing unprecedented poverty challenges. The community has also tried its best to help the people in response to the crisis.