Heroes Among Us: Employees Unite as Neighbors in Challenging Times
A Pratt & Whitney facility in Maine is taking a sunny approach to today’s often dark and challenging times. “Smiles are free, pass them along” is the mantra at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, a town with a population of roughly 2,000 and a community of employees who treat each other more like neighbors than colleagues.
When Bobbi Coffin heard several coworkers were experiencing a loss of family income due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or simply struggling to find essential items in stores, the quality assurance manager joined together with Angela Moore-Nordaby, Barb Chase, Marcia Haven and Sojourn Granquist to start a supply drive for coworkers in need.
From soup to cereal, Coffin and the North Berwick team donated more than $500 in cleaning supplies and non-perishable food items for the “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” supply drive. The drive, located on the Pratt & Whitney campus, has benefited over 60 employees – many of whom have since returned the favor and donated back to it.
“Everyone has been very appreciative, especially for the hard-to-find items. We have had many people use the pantry and then come back a different day and contribute to it,” Coffin said. “It’s moments like this that make me proud to be part of this North Berwick team.”
When the collection efforts began, a coworker told Coffin, “Bobbi, if you help one person, this drive will have been a success.” Today, the team has far surpassed that benchmark. Coffin said the drive will continue as long as a need exists – preserving the mantra of bringing joy to others during a difficult time.
“Find a way to pay it forward to someone,” she said. “If you can add a smile to someone’s day, then do it.”
This story is the second in a series highlighting our employees making a difference in supporting COVID-19 relief efforts.
