Killeen Nonprofit Turns $30,000 Mistake Into Opportunity to Serve Community

Armor of God Outreach accidentally purchased over 700 pallets of bottled water, now selling them at a discount to cover shipping costs.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:21pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic water bottle repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the nonprofit's excess water supply being sold and distributed to the local community.A nonprofit's accidental water purchase becomes a community resource, with discounted pallets sold to cover shipping costs and hundreds more donated to local charities.Killeen Today

A Killeen, Texas nonprofit organization called Armor of God Outreach accidentally purchased over 700 pallets of bottled water during an early morning online auction, thinking they were only buying 15 pallets. Now facing over $30,000 in shipping costs, the nonprofit is selling the excess water at a deep discount to cover the costs and give away hundreds of pallets to local churches and organizations.

Why it matters

This story highlights how a simple ordering mistake can turn into an unexpected opportunity for a nonprofit to serve its local community. By selling the excess water at a steep discount, Armor of God Outreach is able to not only cover its unexpected costs, but also provide a valuable resource to other charitable groups in the area.

The details

Armor of God Outreach founder John Haun was browsing online auctions around 2 a.m. when he thought he was purchasing 15 pallets of water to use for the organization's weekly food ministry. However, the order ended up being for 15 lots totaling over 700 pallets, leaving the nonprofit with a $30,000 shipping bill. To offset these costs, Armor of God is selling each pallet for $150, which is hundreds less than the retail price.

  • Haun made the accidental water purchase during an early morning online auction.
  • Armor of God Outreach plans to give away roughly 300 of the 720 total pallets to local churches and organizations.

The players

Armor of God Outreach

A faith-based nonprofit organization in Killeen, Texas that is in the process of building a facility to help the homeless and less fortunate population in Central Texas.

John Haun

The founder of Armor of God Outreach, who accidentally purchased over 700 pallets of water during an early morning online auction, thinking he was only buying 15 pallets.

Erick McKinnis

The owner of All Out Audio in Killeen, who said the discounted water deal was too good to pass up.

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What they’re saying

“I was like, I can buy this water and we can use it to serve on Thursday morning for our food ministry down at the second street pavilion.”

— John Haun, Founder, Armor of God Outreach

“For the price of 84 cases in a pallet, you can't beat that. Who wouldn't want to save money and it's water, something we all need.”

— Erick McKinnis, Owner, All Out Audio

What’s next

Armor of God Outreach still has over 100 pallets of water being shipped and is encouraging those interested in purchasing a pallet to contact the organization or visit their location at 61 N. Gilmer St. in Killeen.

The takeaway

This story demonstrates how a nonprofit organization can turn an unexpected challenge into an opportunity to better serve its local community. By selling the excess water at a deep discount, Armor of God Outreach is not only able to cover its unexpected costs, but also provide a valuable resource to other charitable groups in the Killeen area.