J.B. Hunt, NWA Council Donate Nearly 300k Pieces of PPE
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., in collaboration with the Northwest Arkansas Council, announced today that its in-kind contribution of nearly 300,000 pieces of personal protective equipment for medical facilities in Northwest Arkansas has arrived. The donation and delivery, valued at almost $600,000, includes much-needed supplies such as masks, gowns, and goggles to ensure the safety of health care workers and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The perseverance shown by our community’s medical professionals during this time has been nothing short of inspirational,” said Nick Hobbs, executive vice president and president of Dedicated Contract Services and Final Mile Services at J.B. Hunt. “J.B. Hunt understands the importance of practicing safety in the work environment each day. We were compelled to apply our expertise in international logistics and transportation to provide these supplies as a way to help protect and heal our community.”
The vast surge in demand for personal protective equipment has strained the products’ supply chain, creating purchasing and delivery challenges. J.B. Hunt has worked closely with state officials and relief organizations to replenish medical supplies and support first responders. Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson thanked J.B. Hunt and its employees for their resilient work to keep freight moving despite the challenging environment.
“I am certain that hundreds of health care workers, patients, and their loved ones will be relieved when they learn that J.B. Hunt has tracked down and delivered this significant supply of personal protective equipment,” Governor Hutchinson said. “This act of generosity is typical of this company’s support of Arkansas through the years. Thank you for your concern, compassion, and diligence in your effort to keep so many Arkansans safe from COVID-19.”
In addition to donating the equipment, J.B. Hunt coordinated its international movement, a process that involved complex logistics planning and capacity securement, to a temporary warehouse in Rogers. Local distribution is being coordinated through the Northwest Arkansas Council’s Health Care Transformation Division, a group created in 2019 to facilitate collaboration among health care providers to make the region a destination for health care.
“J.B. Hunt’s generous donation provides essential PPE and supplies that will protect health care workers and patients during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Susan Barrett, chair of the Northwest Arkansas Council’s Health Care Transformation Division. “The support from corporate partners – along with regional collaboration among health care providers – will be vital to achieving a successful response.”
The Health Care Transformation Division includes eight major health care providers in the region: Arkansas Children’s Northwest, Mercy Northwest Arkansas, Northwest Health, University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Veteran’s Health Care System of the Ozarks, Washington Regional Medical Center, and Whole Health Institute. Community Clinic NWA will also benefit from the personal protective equipment donation.
The donation was organized as J.B. Hunt continues to provide all front-line employees and drivers with essential items to safely complete deliveries. To date, the company has distributed more than 500,000 protective masks; 122,000 18 oz. bottles of sanitizer; and 1.4 million pairs of gloves to company-owned and customer facilities. Photos from the delivery are available here for media use.
About J.B. Hunt
J.B. Hunt’s vision is to create the most efficient transportation network in North America. The company’s industry-leading solutions and mode-neutral approach generate value for customers by eliminating waste, reducing costs and enhancing supply chain visibility. Powered by one of the largest company-owned fleets in the country and third-party capacity through its J.B. Hunt 360°® digital freight marketplace, J.B. Hunt can meet the unique shipping needs of any business, from first mile to final delivery, and every shipment in-between. Through disciplined investments in its people, technology and capacity, J.B. Hunt is delivering exceptional value and service that enable long-term growth for the company and its stakeholders.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. is an S&P 500 company and a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average. Its stock trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol JBHT. J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of JBHT. The company’s services include intermodal, dedicated, refrigerated, truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, single source, last mile, transload and more. For more information, visit www.jbhunt.com.