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"Keeps me in shape,” says Jimmy about his job. And he likes the results even if it means a 4 a.m. wake-up call. That’s the time he needs to be up and ready to catch the van to his early morning job at Bishop’s Orchard Farm Market in Guilford. He says he’s got something important to do…sweep the floors and walkways, inside and out.

The abundance of the harvest at Bishop’s Orchard Farm Market is second only to the abundance of smiles from the SARAH morning work crew. All awake before the rooster crows, they are hard at work washing, buffing and polishing right before the doors open to customers at 8 a.m.

And do those door windows shine! Gena makes sure of that. Gena said she washes “every window”…using a “green” window washing product that Bishop’s provides.

Bishop’s, family owned and operated since 1871, is one of the shoreline’s premier vendors of fresh fruits and vegetables, bakery products and local fine wines. They also have an enduring relationship with SARAH.

The Bishop family has supported SARAH in many ways throughout its first 50 years. Bishop’s Orchards itself has had a two-decade relationship with SARAH Inc. and their employment programs. In addition to cleaning the floors, the crew works vacuuming, washing windows, cleaning break and restrooms, emptying trash receptacles from the offices to the parking lot, and picking up litter around the building. The Farm Market is also host for one of SARAH’s Recycling® collection boxes.

“The SARAH crew members are as important as Bishop’s regular employees, and camaraderie is an important part of all enjoying their work,” said co-CEO, treasurer and winemaker Keith Bishop. “Our goal is providing customers a neat, clean, safe and healthy shopping experience... from the moment they enter the parking lot, to checkout and home when they enjoy their purchases. SARAH workers, like all of our employees, help us achieve those goals.”

SARAH work is a very necessary element to keeping Bishop’s humming, according to Bishop’s Retail Operations Manager Randy Perham. “We have many quality benchmarks to attend to as we set up the market every morning. The cleanliness of the facility itself is an important part of our workday. Among other measures, our customers judge us on quality and cleanliness. Having this cleaning crew in before the doors opens each day, allows us to focus on food and operations.”

The SARAH employees interact with the Bishops employees as they begin heading in the door for their morning work. Most know each other by name and there is some cajoling and teasing as each goes about his or her early morning chores. It’s like watching spring flowers lifting their sleepy blooms as the activity picks up and the chatter increases.

David and his job coach are conscious of what’s still to do as the clock nears 8 a.m. They scurry around putting the finishing touch on their areas of assignment.

“I use my pay for food,” David says matter-of-factly as he stands among the mounds of freshly stacked peppers. Doing just about anything in Bishop’s makes one think about food.

Sustenance for the body, yes, but this SARAH job is also sustenance for the soul.