Keeping our community safe, preparing for disruptions caused by Coronavirus

We are reaching out in an uncertain time and we are concerned about the effect of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on communities around the country. The World Health Organization has declared a global emergency and a pandemic over the international outbreak of the coronavirus. We at necessary & sufficient coffee feel it’s important to be responsible community partners by being transparent and proactive about our response plan, as outlined below.

The management team at necessary & sufficient coffee have been working on a phased plan to extend the safety of our community and keep serving our customers as long as possible. We would like to reassure you that we have always aimed to provide the safest of spaces and food for people to enjoy. In service of that goal, all of our team members are fully trained and well practiced in maintaining the strictest of health and sanitation guidelines. Every one of our team members are trained in all local food handling policies and everyone carries a current IL State food service health card. We have always taken these practices seriously but in light of the current concerns around public safety we are increasing our cleaning protocols and safety precautions across the board. We have also increased the depth and frequency of our scheduled cleanings to further surpass Health Department standards.*

If you have questions or suggestions that may help us continue to partner effectively with our community please let us know. You can email us through our comments page

Phase 1 of this plan was:

  • You will see us sanitizing commonly handled surfaces regularly

  • You’ll see us wearing gloves

  • We’ll be more frequently washing our hands. This might affect your order time. Please be patient, we’re trying to follow best practices to extend everyone’s safety.

  • Avoid touching our faces

  • Keep social distance 3’-6’

  • Avoid touching during greetings, Kate puts her hand over her heart to say hello.

  • We will be doing a full deep sanitation at every close.

Phase 2

We are now in phase 2 and the situation can change quickly

  • All of the phase 1 practices will continue and we will add the following practices

  • Sign in the window of the cafe stating our Phased plan to protect our customers and ourselves

  • We will communicate via social media to share our plan and link back to this detailed post

  • We will request credit card only sales and seek to stop handling cash

  • We will stop taking your reusable cups and provide only single use cups

  • We will have saran wrap around the point-of-sale devices and change it out regularly

  • We will remove the dog treats from the window but still provide them to you and your pups at your request.

  • We will remove our bench

  • Keep the screen down except when we complete window orders

  • Request credit card only

  • Remove our self serve items and provide them from behind the bar

  • Encourage orders through our Joe Coffee App. To download the app text ‘coffee’ to 474747

Phase 3

If and when we hear and see that there is rising concern and escalation of cases we will:

  • Continue with Phase 1 and 2 practices and add the following

  • Only take orders through the window

  • Keep the screen down except when we complete the order

  • Refuse cash

  • Request permission from you to complete the sale on your behalf at the point of sale

  • Remove the dog water bowls

  • Depending on supply interruptions, may reduce our menu offerings

Phase 4

During phase 4, if there is still a demand for our products we will be taking orders only through the Joe Coffee App. To download this app, text the word “coffee” to 474747

Phase 5

We and other businesses will be closed until its safe to reopen

What can you do to minimize your risk?

From what I’ve been reading in the news and hearing from personal contacts who work in the infectious disease and vaccination science and research fields:

  • Wash your hands frequently

  • Wear gloves

  • Don’t touch your face, eyes, mouth, nose, ears

  • If you have a cough or sneezing, wear an n95 mask to reduce the spread of any virus.

  • Follow reliable news sources (I recommend: Washington Post, The Atlantic)

  • Use Lysol disinfectant or some similar cleaner to kill virus and germs

Our team is our family and Chicago is our community. The safety of both is and always has been of the utmost importance to us. We will continue to monitor this situation through both local and national health organizations and our thoughts are with everyone currently affected by coronavirus.*

For more information on COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Sincerely
Kate Vrijmoet

*We shamelessly lifted the copy for this paragraph from Chef Ethan Stowell’s newsletter.

Kate VrijmoetComment