Together Detroit: AAA, Meijer and Priority Health doing their part

During the COVID-19 pandemic, both companies and individuals are finding ways to give back to the community.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer knows it would be nowhere without its incredible fleet of truck drivers, who are pushing themselves to deliver essential items to all Meijer stores.

So on March 28, Meijer provided meals all day for these important people, with an assist from some local restaurants.

"It makes me feel appreciated, it makes me feel like they appreciate what I'm doing and the sacrifice that I'm making out here," Continental Express driver John Campbell told ABC 12.

In addition, Meijer donated $4 million to 99 local United Way agencies throughout the Midwest.

That included $13,000 for the United Way of Northeast Michigan as there is a Meijer in Alpena.

"Meijer is founded on the belief that our purpose is to enrich lives in the communities we serve," Meijer stated in a letter to the United Way. "Our partnership with United Way spans generations here at Meijer and we are all grateful for the important work you do in our community every day. These are unprecedented times, and as we all work to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) it's important to recognize the many organizations like yours that are on the front lines, delivering emergency services to those in need."

Understanding that many students rely on school-provided breakfast and lunch and with schools currently closed, Meijer is also donating $2.2 million to more than 400 Simply Give good pantry partners.

For members of Priority Health, the second largest health plan in Michigan, they now do not have to leave their homes to speak to medical professionals.

Last month, Priority Health announced it was expanding its current $0 copay telehealth, or virtual care, to all members through April 30.

With close to a million members across commercial, individual, Medicaid and Medicare plans, Priority Health wanted all of them to be able to contact medical professionals for non-emergency care at no extra cost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the company announced it will fully cover the cost of physician-ordered COVID-19 testing and labs for all members.

If there's one thing that the American Automobile Association knows, it's travel and transportation.

Hertz, a AAA partner, responded to a customer's concern for his fiancee's commute to her New York City hospital job by offering free vehicle rental to as many health care workers as possible as New York fought the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the innovative program, Hertz provided $2 million in free vehicle rentals to more than 2,000 health care workers in New York City.

One physician's assistant who works at an intensive care unit in the Bronx, told Hertz, "I work 12.5 and 24 hour shifts, taking care of the sickest COVID-19 patients in our hospital. A lot of us are working overtime, picking up shifts for sick colleagues, traveling to hospitals further away because they're in need. You've really made our ability to get to work much easier and safer so that we have more mental, emotional and physical energy to care for our patients."