Kaiser Permanente donates $22M in critical cleaning supplies

A nearly $22 million donation of critical cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) will help stop the spread of COVID-19 in under-resourced communities and ease the burden of purchasing these materials for schools and nonprofit organizations.

Kaiser Permanente is donating the (PPE) and sanitation supplies through a partnership with SupplyBank.org, a nonprofit agency that distributes critical supplies to vulnerable communities. The donations of sanitary wipes, hand sanitizers, protective gowns and masks, will mean local schools and community-based organizations won’t have to purchase these supplies as they help to protect students, staff, and homeless individuals from the virus.

“This donation alleviates some of that cost pressure for our schools,” said Alameda County Superintendent of Schools L.K. Monroe, who is also a SupplyBank.org board member. “This donation will allow schools to focus their resources on instructional materials and other classroom needs. The supply of personal protective equipment will ensure teachers, students, and families can remain healthy, safe and protected.”

Kaiser Permanente, committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, recognizes the ongoing need for PPE and sanitation supplies, especially in those communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic is not over, and we don’t know the next forms it will take. Personal protective equipment and sanitizing supplies have played a critical role in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and communities,” said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, Senior Vice President for Hospital and Health Plan Operations at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California. “We are pleased to help support our community partners and help ease the burden of purchasing supplies, particularly in under-resourced communities.”

Those receiving donated materials include county offices of educations, school districts, County Children and Family Commissions (First 5s), Community Services Block Grant Agencies, and other community-based organizations in California. Organizations in Oregon and Washington state will also receive materials. First 5 California and the California Department of Community Services and Development also contributed to shipping and warehousing costs.

“SupplyBank.org continues to be engaged to ensure our 500 partner organizations have what they need to protect their communities and reduce the spread of the virus,” said Benito Delgado-Olson, founder and Executive Director of SupplyBank.org. “This tremendous gift from Kaiser Permanente is making that possible for the foreseeable future.”