It’s just a small gesture, but Shay Bennett hopes it makes a difference.

“We just wanted to help in some way to make a tough situation better,” said Bennett, who helped organize a delivery of free coffee to the staff at Josephine Caring Community in Stanwood.

It started as a suggestion from a customer after hearing reports that some nurses may have been turned away at some local businesses.

“We felt like they weren’t being seen,” said Bennett, who owns Bean N Brew on 532, a drive-thru coffee stand in west Stanwood. “They’re working hard, so I figured all I can do is at least get everyone a cup of coffee.”

So she and her staff, who volunteered their time, made 70 vanilla lattes Tuesday night for the night shift and 100 more Wednesday for the day shift. Both deliveries also included extra drip coffee donated from Fofcee Coffee on Camano Island and the Stanwood Shell gas station.

When word got out, customers started donating toward the cause, too.

“It’s not going to solve anything, but we hope it shows them that they are appreciated and boosts morale a bit,” Bennett said. “I hope it makes them smile.”

It turns out the effort was just one of many people in the community made toward the staff at the Josephine facility.

Josephine Caring Community announced online they received an outpouring of support from several different groups, including candy bars and cookies from Stanwood Foursquare Church; donuts from All Things New Cleaning Stanwood; cookies to the night staff from Kerry Hartjen; a total of 600 dust masks from Gerber Auto Body, Dick Bartlett of Industrial Marine Supply, Steve Wesley of West Weld and the city of Stanwood; and an 8-year-old community member has been working with fellow Stanwood children to delivered pictures, notes and short stories to our residents.

The Josephine facility in Stanwood is connected to at least eight confirmed cases and two deaths. At least three staff have also tested positive for COVID-19, but it’s not confirmed as to where they contracted the virus.

The facility remains under lockdown and still has residents in isolation. The organization has also temporarily increased all staff members’ wages and offering a bonus for picking up extra care giver shifts, according to their website. Staff members also are provided childcare. The childcare facility —which is in a separate building from the nursing home — has started providing childcare for healthcare workers and first responders.

The statewide clampdown to help slow the spread of COVID-19 has left some businesses worried about their future.

Bennett, who bought the coffee stand just three weeks ago, said the past two days have been busy with customers looking to support small businesses as well as the effort to send coffee to area nurses. She said she plans to continue to effort, possible donated to other area senior center or nursing home staff.

“People want to help, they just don’t know how,” said Bennett, a Camano Island resident. “I hope this encourages other people to find ways to help. Find something to help make this a better situation.”