The Story Behind the Business
Being a native north-westerner, I am keenly aware that “the big one” (i.e., a truly destructive earthquake) could happen at any time, so when I moved into my new home many years ago, I decided to follow the advice of my trusted real estate agent and put together a serious stash of emergency supplies.
I bought a 32-gallon yard waste container and filled it with canned food, first-aid supplies, and some camping gear. Then I gave it a dedicated space in my basement where I hoped it would be accessible if the house ever fell down around it.
As time passed, my good intentions of rotating the stock of canned goods kept getting pushed down to the bottom of my “to do” list. Before I knew it, 13 years had passed! When I finally got around to checking on the contents, I discovered that the juices in the canned fruit had eaten through the cans, creating a mold that destroyed the entire contents of the plastic barrel. The only things that survived were a camp stove and some stainless-steel utensils.
“Just in Case is a business I feel good about because it truly benefits everyone who uses our services.”
Alice Kuder
After kicking myself a few times for my costly procrastination, I consoled myself with the knowledge that at least I had a list of the contents, so it would be easy to reconstruct the kit.
Wrong! The project stretched out over several weeks as I schlepped from store to store shopping for what I needed. Being the frugal DIY’er that I am, I couldn’t allow myself just to order things online or buy everything from one big box store. That would have taken just as long and cost twice as much.
After I purchased all the replacement stock, I still had to catalog it all (otherwise it’s just a big barrel of who-knows-what) and assemble it for accessibility.
Once finished, I felt a great sense of pride and accomplishment. I also had an “aha” moment. Now I understood why more households aren’t as prepared as they would probably like to be.
As I tried to imagine how parents with young kids, in particular, would ever find the time and energy to take on this task, it occurred to me that there might be a market for the service. That’s when I conceived the idea for Just in Case, a professional service designed to help everyone better prepare for unpredictable yet inevitable emergencies.
Just in Case is a business I feel good about because it truly benefits everyone who uses our services.
This site provides an abundance of resources — many are free — to help you get ready for “the big one” … Just in Case.