Samantha Glenn is a current 5280 Fellow and a strategist with Peak Refreshments. As a food services company, fears about the coronavirus have interrupted their normal workflow drastically. But the disruptions caused by the pandemic have also created a new opportunity to partner with local churches and nonprofits to enhance food access for their communities.
In the 5280 Fellowship, we talk about the dual purposes of our work: do good and do well.
These ideas are often treated as an either/or proposition where nonprofit organizations primarily do good, and businesses primarily do well by attending to their fiscal bottom line. But for a thoughtful Christian, these are both/and ideas whenever we are creative enough to find this third way.
Here is how Samantha and Peak Refreshments are trying to do good for their employees and community, and also do well during a public health crisis.
Tell us about Peak Refreshments.
Peak Refreshments provides fresh meals onsite to a variety of businesses in the Denver metro area. We have 85 employees who stock break room markets with single-serve fresh meals, snacks, and beverages – all available 24/7 via a self-service kiosk.
How has COVID-19 impacted your business? How has that led to an effort to help employees and the community?
Office closings and social distancing have drastically lowered the need for in-office meals. But we’ve seen increased demand from clients in manufacturing, distribution, and healthcare who are all running long shifts to meet the demands of the city. Peak wanted to assist these workers by providing additional meal offerings at their work, and even extending to their home.
We are now partnering with city organizations and churches to distribute affordable, easy, and hearty meals. We’ll donate 20% of total proceeds back to any church or nonprofit organization that wants to partner with us in getting meals to their communities.
As a Christian and a 5280 Fellow, why is this personally important to you?
I want to love God and love my neighbors by keeping our employees working, sharing the food resources we already have, and extending these resources into our communities in need through partner organizations. This is a Jeremiah 29 way to seek the flourishing of the city.
If churches, nonprofits, or individuals want to join this effort, what can they do?
Starting immediately, interested organizations can schedule a pop-up delivery with a refrigeration vehicle carrying meals to their neighborhood or parking lot. The organizations would communicate this opportunity to their communities; the partnership will only be effective if our partner organizations spread the word.
Deliveries will begin March 23 on a one-time, weekly, or daily frequency. Peak Refreshments will handle all sales and send the 20% donation back to them.
To learn more, email Samantha Glenn at Peak Refreshments.
Brian is the VP of Formation here at DIFW and also leads our 5280 Fellowship program. Prior to landing at DIFW, he served in pastoral ministry for thirteen years and at Denver Seminary for four years. His vocation includes moving ideas out into life through relationships and conversation – whether that applies to God, work, the Church, good beer, or Liverpool Football Club. He married way out of his league, and spends most of his free-time being parented by his two daughters.
