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Date: 4/15/2020
AGAWAM – Nutrition First in Agawam is offering the community an opportunity to give back to first responders and healthcare professionals that are continuing to work during the pandemic.
Michelle Fairman, who owns Nutrition First with her husband Todd, said they were “a big part of the community already” but felt they needed to do something more given the current condition of the state. From there, they came up with the idea for their pay it forward program, where patrons could pay it forward “by purchasing an extra tea or shake” or by donating money through an app.
Fairman said donations can be made while making a regular purchase over the phone. “When you’re calling to pay for your products, you can also add however many pay it forwards that you’d like,” she said. Donations can also be made through Cash App in $7 increments as that amount will “cover the cost of a tea or shake.”
“[We take] all that money, when we get enough bundled up, to go out in the community to serve the front line people,” she told Reminder Publishing.
Fairman said when people donate “they get to specify where the funds are designated to.” She said the donations have “come in waves,” with some instances of “people that pay it forward for like an entire department.”
She said,”Two businesses compiled all their money together, that’s how we were able to bring 40 teas over the intensive care unit (ICU) staff” at Mercy Medical Center.
So far, Nutrition First has received enough donations to distribute teas and shakes to several departments at Baystate Medical Center, the ICU at Mercy Medical Center, Trinity Health of New England Medical Group in Agawam, Heritage Hall East nursing home in Agawam, Baystate Health Urgent Care in Feeding Hills and AFC Urgent Care in West Springfield.
Fairman said teas and shakes were also donated to the West Springfield Fire Department, the West Springfield Police Department, the Agawam Police Department and the Agawam Fire Department. She said as of April 9, more than 300 drinks had been paid forward through donations.
In addition to getting donations from customers and others, Fairman said the staff have also donated their tips on various days to contribute to the pay it forward fund. In fact, she said all the tips the team earned on April 7 were contributed to the fund.
She said she hopes to continue to receive enough donations to keep paying it forward.
Fairman said that all drop-offs of drinks “are arranged in advance.” She said, “We’re not just showing up. Everything is basically left outside, we have never entered into the buildings.” All pictures of workers enjoying their drinks at work are taken by people inside the building, she added.
Additional safety measures taken by Nutrition First include operating as a 100 percent curbside pickup service. “No one has been inside for 14 days,” she said, adding that all orders have been taken and paid for over the phone.
Another initiative Nutrition First is taking to give back to the community is offering children in need a free smoothie once a day. “Any child in need of a meal could come and get a free smoothie,” she explained. Fairman said the smoothies are a healthy alternative to meals. “I feel like there’s a bigger need for kids to have a healthy meal,” she said.
Families utilizing the free meal will be able to order one smoothie per child and have the choice of a strawberry, chocolate,vanilla or banana smoothie. Orders for kids smoothies can be placed over the phone, just like regular orders.
Orders can be made in advance by calling Nutrition First at 372-4018 and picked up at their location on 333 Walnut St. Extension in Agawam.
Donations can be made via phone or by searching for the Nutrition First account ($NutritionFirst333) on Cash App.