KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas and Western Missouri Salvation Army and Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center are splitting a $250,000 donation of health care products and equipment from the FSA Store and it's parent company Health-E Commerce.
Kristin Sword, director of integrated marketing at Health E-Commerce, said the donation is meant to help people struggling during this pandemic.
"Giving back to the community has always been a part of our company's mission, and I can proudly say that this is the largest product donation in our company's history," Sword said.
The New York City-based company worked with Overland Park-based DEG, a digital services company, to get new images for products in their online FSA Store. After the project, Health-E Commerce and the FSA Store decided they wanted to help those in need in the Kansas City community.
"They (DEG) were absolutely crucial partners in helping us to identify the local organizations that we wanted to donate to," Sword said.
The health care products were delivered in late February to the doorsteps of local Salvation Army and the Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center.
"It's incredible," Bob Theis, chief operating officer at for the Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center, said. "It's like Christmas in March."
Doug Donahoo, communications director for the Salvation Army in the Kansas City area, added, "When I got the phone call, I was floored by it. Then I got the list and I had to pick myself up off the list to be floored again, because it just kept going."
Workers at both nonprofits are still unpacking the items and taking inventory.
"We got wheelchairs; anything a patient might need ...," Theis said. "There's Band-Aids, there's wraps, we saw pillows for pregnant moms. It's just a little bit of everything."
Donahoo also was overwhelmed and overjoyed.
"Whether it's first-aid kits that we can use in our emergency disaster program, breast pumps for pregnant women, we'll be able to do a lot of good and connect folks with the items that will help them out," Donahoo said.
Both nonprofits said the donation from Health-E Commerce will make it easier for them to help the people they serve. It also will be a great relief for the people who receive the health products and supplies.
Health-E Commerce is the parent brand of two online stores, the FSA Store and HSA store, which sell thousands of everyday health products that can be purchased with a flexible spending account or health savings account.
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