Shriners Hospitals for Children Offers Numerous Donor Options

Owned and operated by former military veterans and police officers, RMA Supply Company manufactures ballistic body armor with a lightweight ceramic body plate. Produced at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, RMA Supply’s patent-pending armor plates are 100 percent made in the United States. In addition to supporting American workers, the company contributes to numerous national charities, including Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Shriners Hospitals for Children relies heavily on gifts from the public to alleviate the financial burden on families seeking medical care for their children. There are numerous ways to offer financial support to help ensure continued delivery of life-saving care to young patients.

In addition to participating in one of several fund-raising events, like the annual Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, individuals or companies can make a general donation that can be designated or restricted to a particular project or hospital. They can join the annual giving program and choose a society level from bronze ($100-$499) to diamond ($2,500+) or donate to a hospital campaign to help with the purchase of equipment or facility renovations. Shriners Hospitals for Children also affords donors the opportunity to extend their giving through planned gifts and donations of real estate or securities.

The Benefits of Ceramic Plates in Body Armor

Located in Rock Island, Illinois, RMA Supply is a business that sells defense equipment. The company was founded by a former U.S. marine and police officer and now includes a team of manufacturing, law, and marketing professionals. Today, RMA Supply is well known for its ceramic body armor.

A common discussion about ballistic plates found in body armor pertains to the benefits of ceramic over steel. Of the two, steel carries a heavier weight. While steel has the ability to sustain more hits when fired at with low grade ammunition, the bullets often ricochet or spall, causing increased safety hazards. In addition, the blunt force trauma is higher because the material absorbs the energy of the impact at a lower rate. Corrosion is also a factor when using steel body armor, despite the use of Teflon coating.

Ceramic plates, on the other hand, are lighter and allow bullets to penetrate further into the material. Its ability to “catch” the bullet and absorb the energy reduces the possibility of further injuries. In addition, ceramic plates are made up of many tiles that have been chemically bonded together for strength. When fired at, single tiles are damaged and therefore will not compromise the plate as a whole, therefore increasing the plate’s ability to withstand multiple shots.