Fuller Industries announced this week it has received a $32,000 grant from NetWork Kansas with funding provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. The grants are being awarded to colleges and small businesses in Kansas that are making PPE personal protection equipment for healthcare workers with low supplies during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Fuller Industries plans to use the funding toward installing a new high-speed piece of equipment that will allow for more efficient production of products like hand sanitizer and disinfectants.
“We are grateful to NetWork Kansas and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas for awarding us this grant,” said Mark Chalfant, Fuller Industries chief executive officer. “This new piece of machinery will allow us to produce more of the products that are greatly needed across the nation. Our team has been working around the clock to fulfill the nation’s shortage of hand sanitizers and disinfectants. Thanks to this new machine, made possible in part to this grant, we will be able to help more people than ever before.”
NetWork Kansas is a nonprofit that works to grow small businesses in Kansas and foster an entrepreneurial spirit among Kansans. This is one of several initiatives that Network Kansas is involved with to help small businesses and communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“NetWork Kansas is thrilled to work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas on this grant project to ensure Kansas health providers are getting the PPE they need,” said Steve Radley, president and CEO, NetWork Kansas. “These BCBSKS grant investments will accelerate delivery of PPE equipment and build capacity in businesses and other entrepreneurial organizations for the future.”
BCBSKS recently announced it was giving $250,000 to NetWork Kansas to fund the PPE grants. The funding is part of the BCBSKS Blue Health Initiatives Trailblazers Grant that was given through NetWork Kansas. Trailblazers builds partnerships to blaze a trail to a healthier future by finding innovative solutions that improve social determinants of health, increase access to care, and streamline the coordination of services.
“We are proud to provide relief where we can to organizations across our state that are working hard to meet the needs of all Kansans,” said Matt All, president and CEO of BCBSKS. “We care deeply about our communities and are committed to providing assistance where we can during this time.”
To learn more about these relief efforts and additional measures, visit the Network Kansas website and BCBSKS website.
