The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a massive health crisis across the world. Stories have emerged of tragedy and hardship not only from those who have fallen ill with the virus but also from those who have seen other parts of their lives affected. However, though stories of distress have been numerous, this time in world history has also brought to light stories of those seeking to ease the burden of others. To focus on just one of those stories, we turned to the example set by Young Living, a leading supplier of essential oils. The company’s actions to help alleviate some of the hardship of this pandemic serves as a bit of good news amongst the current worldwide distress.
Company history
The roots of Young Living help to explain why it has heeded the call to give back to its community during this difficult time. That’s because it was not originally intended to be a company at all. In fact, the endeavor is the brainchild of D. Gary Young and Mary Young, dating back to a time when they were just seeking a reliable source of essential oils for personal usage. At the time, many mainstream suppliers of these oils were offering products of questionable or inconsistent quality. In response, the couple started cultivating various plants and extracting oils for themselves and their close friends.
However, that humble beginning didn’t last long. As word spread about the quality of the oils being produced by the couple, it became clear that there was a growing need for a source of quality products within this field. To address this, the company was formed officially in 1994. Since that point, it has maintained a committed approach to sourcing the best plant materials and engaging in an efficient extraction process in order to continue to produce the highest quality product possible. This mission has seen the company not only continue to cultivate its own plant materials on farms in Utah and Idaho but also to partner with farms around the globe to source difficult to find plant materials and deliver them to their large worldwide customer base.
Early donations
With a history that is so tightly connected to its community, it’s perhaps no surprise that the company has worked so diligently to aid that same community amidst the current pandemic. One of the ways in which that has manifested is through material donations. As supply chains have broken down during the pandemic, many organizations and businesses have found it difficult to secure the goods upon which they rely to keep their missions going. For small businesses or organizations that may have already be in unstable situations, the increased instability that resulted from the break down of supply availability has had the potential to be devastating.
In recognition of this, the essential oils company jumped into action at the outset of the pandemic in order to help reduce the impact to organizations in its community. Early in this process, that action was often accomplished through partnerships with local non-profits. One example of this is the company’s work with the Utah Food Bank. After realizing that the company’s on-site cafe would be out of commission during stay at home recommendations, the company moved quickly to ensure the food it had on hand would not go to waste. Through this recognition and fast action, the company was able to donate over 400 pounds of food to the food bank that was then used to help feed individuals in need.
Evolving needs
Donations to the food bank help to showcase some of the company’s early efforts to provide community relief, however, as the pandemic has progressed the need for more sustained actions has become apparent. This point has been driven home as organizations across the country have begun to reopen and reengage with their communities. This reopening effort has highlighted the need for resources that can meet CDC guidelines that call for organizations to provide a safe environment for those they serve.
This evolving need has been a point of focus for the essential oils company and has helped direct its ongoing efforts in this space. The company’s President and COO, Jared Turner, recently commented on this situation and the manner in which the company is heeding the call for action. “We recognize that there is much more work to be done and I am proud of the action Young Living has taken as we support our community during this crisis,” said Turner. “No matter how much you can give, it is always time to serve. Young Living shares in Utah’s culture in that we are stronger united in serving.”
Ongoing efforts
In accordance with Turner’s sentiments, the company’s ongoing relief efforts have evolved to meet needs as they emerge. One example of this is the work the company has engaged in to support Baby2Baby, a national non-profit focused on providing basic necessities to children living in poverty. In order to support the mission of the non-profit, the essential oil company has donated a large assortment of products with a retail value topping $800,000. These donations have included baby wipes, oral hygiene products, soap, and more. These resources have helped meet essential needs for such products in homeless shelters, health clinics, family resource centers, and other similar institutions across the country.
In addition to these types of resources related to the needs of basic living, there is an additional need for resources that can create a safe environment in the midst of the pandemic. The essential oils company has also contributed to these efforts through donations to a number of organizations throughout its community. One example of this is its work with Encircle, a local non-profit providing LGBTQ+ family and youth resources. In order to aid the organization in its mission, the essential oils company has donated 150 N95 masks and 250 hand sanitizer products.
The emergence of Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on communities across the world. Though this impact has spawned stories of tragedy and hardship for so many people, it has also been the impetus for touching displays of charity as individuals and organizations have come together to support the common good. The above profile of Young Living and the many ways it has contributed to these efforts provides just one example of this. We hope this work can help showcase that there is still light even in these dark times.
