caring During Covid: Part 1

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(Photo taken Pre-COVID)

During the past few weeks, NextGear Capital team members have sought out ways to support their families, friends and community through the current pandemic. With all the negative news out there, we want to share some of their stories and bring you some “good news” to showcase how we’re all in this together:

A Neighborhood Brought Together

NextGear Capital’s Director of Portfolio Management for the North Central region, Lisa Long, has been busy supporting her community during the COVID-19 pandemic. She donated a small collection of laptops to Kingswells, a local nonprofit organization who assists families unable to afford a laptop. Kingswells provides students with the resources necessary to continue learning in their school’s new virtual environment.

Additionally, Lisa created a Facebook group for her neighbors to ensure residents are able to watch out for each other. In fact, 14 homes have shared their contact information so they can easily checkup on one another. Several people in the group are helping by providing meals and running errands for a neighbor who is paralyzed from a car accident and another who’s currently undergoing cancer treatment. Long has also put together a special senior day for a high school student who is missing out on her high school graduation. Working alongside neighbors, Long was able to decorate the student’s house, collect cards and get flowers and a cake so she can still celebrate while at home with her family.

Weathering the Storm

After a tornado ripped through the Nashville area on the morning of March 3, several local businesses, schools and homes were left decimated, changing lives forever. One of the businesses impacted was Williams Auto Sales in Cookeville, TN., a family owned, multi-generational business. The dealership and all of its inventory was completely destroyed during the tornado. Despite these tragic circumstances, the family spent time helping their local community sort through the debris while trying to put their own lives and business back together.

NextGear Capital Portfolio Manager Eli Thompson has been in close contact with the dealership over the past few weeks, and fortunately, the family has been able to secure a new location in the same area and has reopened. Even amidst the current pandemic, Williams Auto Sales was able to resume its operations and business looks good as it navigates toward a new normal.

Helping Those in Need

When Don King, a Portfolio Manager from Toledo was first hired, he accompanied a group of NextGear Capital team members to the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis to cook breakfast for families. He was immediately overwhelmed by how rewarding the experience was after seeing how grateful the families were. In fact, many shared that this simple gesture allowed them to send more time with their children when they needed it most.

As a direct result of this experience, King went on to become an active volunteer with Toledo area nonprofit 33 for Charity. 33 for Charity is a group made up of 45 local businessmen who donate both their time and money to give back to several charities within their community. This year, due to the effects of Covid-19, they took up a special emergency collection and made two separate donations to the Connecting Kids to Meals and Seagate Food Bank of Northwest Ohio organizations totaling over $3,000.

King also volunteers at Hospice of Northwest Ohio where he provides companionship to patients who’ve been placed in hospice. He also provides relief for their caregivers which enables them to run errands and still attend their own appointments. Due to the current pandemic, he’s had to make some adjustments, including limiting interactions to phone calls, but remains committed to ensuring his current patients remain unaffected by COVID-19.

We know that not all heroes wear capes! Be on the lookout for the next episode where we will feature more team members who’re doing good things during this difficult time.