Battle Ground businesses step up to feed healthcare workers

Jevon Domench’s Academy Mortgage team started the trend, which is being helped out by Detroit Pizza

BATTLE GROUND — Employees at a Battle Ground mortgage company are stepping up to help support area businesses, while also feeding those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nurses at Legacy Salmon Creek accept free pizza provided by Jevon Domench’s Academy Mortgage team and Detroit Pizza of Battle Ground. Photo courtesy Jevon Domench
Nurses at Legacy Salmon Creek accept free pizza provided by Jevon Domench’s Academy Mortgage team and Detroit Pizza of Battle Ground. Photo courtesy Jevon Domench

While looking for ways to step up and help the community, Jevon Domench and his team at Academy Mortgage started by asking customers to buy from restaurants that were still doing to go orders after the state-mandated shutdown.

Then Adrienne Richmond, a loan officer at the branch, decided they could actually buy from area businesses on their own, and deliver the food to first responders and healthcare workers.

“It just came out of necessity,” says Lacey Ogle, the Domench Team’s marketing and business  development director. “It’s something that our team is always looking to do.”

Matched by 50 percent from Academy Mortgage, the team pooled money to buy eight pizzas from Domino’s, which were delivered to the Battle Ground Kaiser clinic and DaVita off of Main Street.

Next, they purchased 10 pizzas from Little Caesar’s and delivered them to PeaceHealth Southwest in Vancouver.

“Then we were approached by local Battle Ground business Detroit Pizza,” says Ogle. “Seeing what we were doing and wanting to be a part of that.”

Jevon Domench prepares to deliver pizzas from Detroit Pizza in Battle Ground to nurses at Legacy Salmon Creek. Photo courtesy Jevon Domench
Jevon Domench prepares to deliver pizzas from Detroit Pizza in Battle Ground to nurses at Legacy Salmon Creek. Photo courtesy Jevon Domench

Detroit Pizza stepped up with a bunch of pizzas to be delivered to Legacy Salmon Creek for healthcare workers there, with The Domench Team and Academy Mortgage covering a portion of the cost.

“It’s just a bunch of local businesses working together to make this happen,” says Ogle. “Just literally, people saying, ‘hey, I want to be a part of this.’”

Ogle says they have three other deliveries scheduled, and hope to continue being able to step up when needed.

Pizzas from Domino’s in Battle Ground are ready for delivery to Kaiser Permanente and DaVita. Photo courtesy Jevon Domench - Academy Mortgage.
Pizzas from Domino’s in Battle Ground are ready for delivery to Kaiser Permanente and DaVita. Photo courtesy Jevon Domench – Academy Mortgage.

“I know we had some contact from someone in the Battle Ground city council last week too,” she says. “So this may continue to develop as people continue to reach out and want to be a part of it somehow.”

Just a note, this story was suggested by a disconnected third party, not Jevon Domench, Academy Mortgage, or Detroit Pizza. If you know someone who is making a difference in our community, please tell us about it via email: news@clarkcountytoday.com.