Fuller Industries announces it has received a $32,000 grant from NetWork Kansas with funding provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS). The grants are being awarded to colleges and small businesses in Kansas that are making PPE for healthcare workers with low supply during the coronavirus (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. This new piece of machinery will allow us to produce more of the products that are greatly needed across the nation,” Mark Chalfant, Chief Executive Officer, Fuller Industries, said. “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 equipment they need,” said Steve Radley, president & 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, please visit the Network Kansas website and BCBSKS website.
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About Fuller Industries
Fuller Industries has been a leading manufacturer of commercial cleaning products for more than 110 years. Fuller Industries is based out of Great Bend, Kansas and manufactures multiple lines of commercial cleaning products, including Franklin Cleaning Technology, FullPro, TruMix and Simple Hygiene. Learn more about Fuller Industries at www.fullercommercial.com
About NetWork Kansas
NetWork Kansas was established as a component of the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to further entrepreneurship and small business growth as a priority for economic and community development in the State of Kansas. Backed by more than 500 partners statewide, the NetWork Kansas service promotes an entrepreneurial environment by connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the expertise, education and economic resources they need in order to succeed. For more information about NetWork Kansas, call 877.521.8600 or email info@networkkansas.com.
NetWork Kansas facilitates the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem within participating communities through the E-Community Partnership. Contributing factors to successful development include availability of financial capital, support by local leadership and development of educational resources. All of these factors combine to increase entrepreneurial activity in participating towns, leading to increased startup activity, business expansion, job creation and more.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
For more than 75 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas has built a reputation of trust with its members and contracting providers by providing outstanding customer service while quickly and accurately processing claims; fairly administering benefit plans and contracts; offering programs, services and tools to help members improve or maintain their health; and operating under the highest ethical standards while being good stewards of premium dollars. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and is the state’s largest insurer, serving all Kansas counties except Johnson and Wyandotte. For more information, visit bcbsks.com.
About Blue Health Initiatives
Launched by BCBSKS in 2016, Blue Health Initiatives is supporting solutions that make Kansas a healthier place to live, work and play. We are taking a holistic approach that focuses on policies, systems and environments that shape our lives. The Blue Health Initiatives Trailblazers grant build 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.