Entering the month of March, the staff of Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance was preparing for its typical “storm season” response to the spring’s predictable uptick in weather-related claims. Helping protect our members and their property during these times is what we were built to do.

But then the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic made its way to the coasts of the United States. And then inland. And then to Kentucky. And then we all had to adapt – personally and professionally.

The spread of COVID-19 had businesses like KFB Insurance searching for creative ways to keep their doors open while attempting to maintain the health and safety of both their employees and their customers. With recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal and state authorities preserving the call for “social distancing” for several more weeks, new business plans had to be developed – and quickly. Even so, it remained our goal to keep KFB Insurance functioning and serving the needs of our members throughout these unprecedented times.

During a single week in mid-March, our company transitioned from being a stationary workforce to one mobilized for remote access and service. This was no small undertaking, but we knew the needs of our members would continue to exist whether we were working in one centralized location or spread out remotely across our multiple communities. For that reason, and through a great deal of collaboration from each area of our business, every KFB Insurance location was open and serving members as of the time when this column was written – though we were admittedly doing it differently.

Today, helping relieve the anxiety of our members during the Coronavirus pandemic remains a priority for KFB Insurance. To help our members experiencing financial stress, we suspended policy cancellations due to non-payment of premium. Our agencies found creative ways to offer their same friendly service while still practicing proper social distancing. We liberalized processes to create an easier way for members to do business with us when face-to-face interactions were no longer permissible. We also made our toll-free claim hotline available 24/7, and we continue to seek more ways to serve you through this uncharted territory.

It is very important that we all take care of ourselves and each other right now. Most of us are physically separated from our peers, friends and family, but we do not want to become isolated. I believe we are called to be our brother’s keeper and to love our friends at all times – especially through adversity.

My goal, and one I’m encouraging others to set for themselves as well, is to make sure each day I reach out to someone just to check on how they are doing. With extended periods of time spent isolated from one another in our foreseeable future, my guess is that such simple gestures of human interaction will not only help us all maintain good mental health, but they will also help us prove out the theme that we truly are Stronger Together.