“When you care enough to send the very best.”
Hallmark’s signature phrase rang truer than ever for United Inner City Services (UICS) through a special delivery on Monday, December 6, 2020.
Hallmark Cards, Inc. delivered 300 face shields to UICS-Metro Center to be used by teachers and staff at all three early childhood education facilities: UICS-St. Mark Center (northeast Kansas City, MO); UICS-Metro Center (midtown Kansas City, MO); and UICS-North Center (Pleasant Valley, MO).
The face shields will be used in addition to face masks for additional safety precautions. As the pandemic progresses and continues to affect our community, this additional piece of personal protection equipment (PPE) will help to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus.
Two of our schools currently reside in the third electoral district. This is the district in Kansas City that has experienced the highest rate of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths.
We recognize that choices surrounding employment opportunities and childcare offerings are often proximity based decisions. UICS works to hire from the communities we serve and provide quality care, education, and resources to children and families near our schools, making it imperative for us to make safety our highest priority.
“Hallmark’s incredible gift will not only support our students, teachers, and families during this ongoing pandemic, but will allow us to model safety and wellbeing through people that they know and trust.” shared Deidre Anderson, Chief Executive Officer for UICS.
“It has been on the hearts and minds of all of us. This is just one more added layer of support that we’re able to give our staff.” 
You might be wondering how the company known for making the perfect cards for every special occasion got into the business of making PPE. In addition to the writers and designers who help convey our thoughtful messages, Hallmark employs talented project engineers who operate and design equipment used to manufacture cards and other items.
Hallmark’s engineering team came together to utilize the existing machinery and materials used to make cards, stickers, labels, and other similar items at their production facility in Lawrence, KS to create face shields for our teachers and families.
“It looks like you are going to space or something!” said one of our pre-k friends at UICS-Metro Center.
While UICS’ little learners are still adjusting to the new piece of safety equipment, we are grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate safety and do our part to stop COVID-19’s spread.
In addition to helping keep the UICS community safe, Hallmark has distributed 25,000 face shields to other schools and health departments throughout Kansas City and beyond.
We are proud to have partners and innovators invest in our community in a variety of ways. Next time there’s a Hallmark card in the mail, we hope you remember the good will of not only the sender but the company as well.
