As the adage goes, “Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.” But in that time, it’s about how you respond to the situation at hand. Do you lend a helping hand? Or do you shy away? The answer to that is easy, especially if you’re part of the Taylor Morrison family. During this health crisis, there may be a shortage of supplies across the country, but there will never be a shortage of care, support and love from our organization. And if we can make even the slightest bit of difference, you know we’re first to volunteer.
As the COVID-19 virus continues its ripple effect across the country, health care workers are confronting a dire shortage of materials, such as masks and protective eyewear. They’re seeing dwindling supplies, soaring cases of the virus and a growing number of doctors and nurses who are becoming infected.
In response to the critical shortage, Leading Builders of America launched a campaign to donate masks and protective gear to health care workers. So far, they’ve collected more than 100,000 masks and tens of thousands of goggles. And you better believe Taylor Morrison’s supplies were factored in. The organization’s CEO Ken Gear recently spoke out about the impact builders have in communities from coast to coast.
“We build communities across the country and the people in our communities are nurses, first responders, police officers, firefighters and teachers—those are the people who protect us every day—and we’re trying to do a little bit to give back to them. We want to do what we can to make their lives a little bit easier.”
Our Chairman and CEO Sheryl Palmer praised the work of our Purchasing Teams and all they’re doing to help our medical professionals across the United States, with an extra special thanks to our Charlotte Division for their efforts.
Thank you, VP of National Purchasing David Cunningham and team, for all your tremendous work behind the scenes to make this possible. David recently reached out to Charlotte VP of Purchasing Paul Schmit to coordinate a donation drive and see what our trade contractors could pull together for those on the front lines of the pandemic. So, let’s fill you in on what’s been happening in our Charlotte Division.
Paul, the point person during the operation, received a call from Atrium Health—a hospital in Charlotte—describing how they’re in “dire need of masks and safety equipment.” From there, he contacted all the Purchasing leaders in the Charlotte area.
Paul is no stranger to the medical field. His dad was a doctor and his mother was a nurse, and he wholeheartedly understands what it’s like for health care workers imperiled by the crisis. “These people are putting their lives on the line and we have to do our part to help them. You see someone who needs help, and if you can help, there’s absolutely no reason not to,” Paul shared.
Charlotte’s Purchasing Team, (Lance Casey, Joe Gunning and Chris Anson), called our trade contractors to gather supplies for the drive and boy did they answer in a big way. “I think the outpouring of giving has been tremendous,” Paul said.
Take a look at the list of items below collected and distributed to Atrium Health, a hospital network currently operating in the Carolinas and Georgia.
- N95 Masks: 1,375
- Gloves: 950 pairs
- Safety Glasses (various types): 2,649
- Respirators: 30
- Goggles: 18
- Face Shields: 7
We wanted to give you some insight into some of the materials that are highly sought-after right now. So, why are N95 masks in demand? The special respirator masks filter out 95 percent of airborne particles—when used correctly. Health officials say respirator masks can be used for eight hours of continuous or intermittent use and should be tossed after treating an infected patient. Unfortunately, that’s not what is happening in hospitals across the country. With limited supplies, many doctors are given just one mask and they’ve been spraying it with Lysol hoping to preserve it.
When two team members from Atrium Health saw the boxes of materials arrive, they immediately expressed gratitude for our teams and trades.
We’re overwhelmed by the generosity of you and your peers. And even though “thank you doesn’t seem like enough, ‘THANK YOU’ for supporting us.
Ida Bowen, Atrium Health Registered Nurse and Director of Operations
That’s incredible! This is a real morale boost for our teammates. Knowing there are so many N95s will literally help them breathe better. It’s a scary time, but knowing the community is there with us means so much as we care for patients.
Kathleen Sharp, Atrium Health Lean Sensei
Thank you, Charlotte Purchasing Team, for answering the call for help and protecting our health care workers on the front lines of the virus crisis.
