As construction projects reopen across Massachusetts, I’d like to take a moment to highlight some of the work our member companies have done to help their employees and communities during the pandemic.

Groom Construction of Salem, Mass. teamed up with Root, an organization that prepares young people to enter the workforce through intensive culinary and food service training, to provide over 400 free meals to agencies serving the homeless, youth in foster care and individuals with disabilities, among others. The meals were hand-delivered to organizations all over the North Shore.

In a statement, Lifebridge North Shore noted that they had been able “to provide meals to hundreds of vulnerable members of our community because of the partnership between Groom Construction and Root. To see this kind of generosity and thoughtfulness during these times is both touching and inspirational.”

The Haynes Group of West Bridgewater, Mass. supported the Red Cross’ blood drive efforts through its #HaynesGroupCares initiative. The company also compiled and posted a list of family-friendly resources to help people get through the “new normal.”  

TectaAmerica NE of North Billerica, Mass. donated labor to help the Ronald McDonald House in Portland, ME. expand so it could help more families with children in the hospital. 

C. E. Floyd of Bedford, Mass. donated boxes of fresh produce to hospital workers and boxes of healthy snacks to nursing home staff. 

J. M. Coull Inc. of Maynard, Mass. produced a video with messages of thanks to the all of the essential workers from their employees. 

Erland Construction of Burlington, Mass. supported #HeadbandsForHeros” that provided stylish headbands to front line workers.  

DECCO employees recently delivered 38 gallons of hand sanitizer to police and fire stations in Southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts, as well as to Nashoba Valley Hospital in Ayer, Mass. The police and fire recipients were New Ipswich, New Boston, Milford and Brookline in New Hampshire, and Townsend, Mass.

DECCO worked at least as hard to protect its employees’ health and their pocketbooks. Among other things, it guaranteed that they would be paid for 40 hours a week regardless of their ability to get to work due to COVID impacts. 

Finally, the company used the time to invest in training. All 200 employees will cycle through a two day a week paid training agenda (in a classroom that allows for social distancing) that includes soft skills, hard skills and practical training.  

Over the coming weeks and months, ABC member companies will continue to help their communities and employees, this time by observing all safety protocols to help get the Massachusetts economy moving again and put people back to work without endangering the health and safety of their employees or the community at large.

Joseph Camilo is the chairman of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. -Mass. Chapter, Woburn and is the vice president / general manager at Tocco Building Systems, Billerica, Mass.