Thank you to the Essential workers!

In the past weeks, I’ve watched one story after another describing the struggles that patient care staff, nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists are facing in thousands of overwhelmed facilities around the world.

Many of you are aware that I work at a hospital as a medical technologist (specifically a chemistry lab technician). I’ve seen a lot in my 17 years of service in healthcare.  Sometimes the challenges we face are tough; the hours are long and the patients can grip your heart. However, the challenges and issues that COVID-19 has brought to us are the hardest I’ve ever seen. 

The shortages of critical PPE (personal protective equipment), the long hours of non-stop patient care, the bruised faces, the heartache of losing patients unequipped to fight this virus—it became a bit overwhelming for me. I felt like I needed to do something—anything—to help. And so I decided that it was time for another Tribe project, one with the sole purpose of offering support for relief efforts and for those affected by the virus.

I wanted to give back not only to the healthcare workers but also to those workers providing essential services outside of healthcare. As a result, I decided that this project would involve two soaps, and I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted the designs to say thank you—thank you to any and all essential workers who have given your time, energy, and so much more to help keep our communities fed, safe, and protected—and thank you as well to the healthcare workers who are fighting to save lives at the risk of your own. I contacted Kyle at Blade & Lather Graphic Design to tell him my ideas. Two days later, I had my first rough drafts of the labels. Soon after: the finished products.

I hope you all enjoy this project. It is very dear to me, and I’m excited for everyone to see these in person. I will be donating $5 for each product sold. The money will be divided among two charities: Feeding America and Samaritan's Purse. Feeding America provides programs like school-based food pantries, emergency disaster relief, and Kids’ Cafe to help fight hunger across the country. Samaritan’s Purse works across the globe, providing medical care, food, water, and shelter during disasters. Both of these organizations do so much to help those who need it most, and as unemployment rates skyrocket, the need for food, shelter, and all other manners of assistance do the same. I hope that this project inspires you, and I hope it can at least begin to show my gratitude for the work done by those for whom these products are named: The Healers and The Essentials. Stay safe everyone.

Written by: Heather Melton

Edited by Jackson Bostian