The road to recovery: local non-profits vaccinate residents with 200k in funding from Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente provided over $200,000 in grants to five local non-profits in Santa Cruz County to ensure people have access to the vaccine, particularly within underserved communities. This resulted in several hundred Santa Cruz County residents becoming vaccinated against COVID-19.
Increasing access to the vaccine is even more important now as the Delta variant continues to circulate.
One of the grantees, Santa Cruz Community Health, has been holding vaccination clinics since early this summer to reach those who might otherwise not have access to the vaccine.
At a vaccine clinic at Holy Cross Church in Santa Cruz, more than 40 parishioners and residents were vaccinated. Santa Cruz Community Health also set up another pop-up clinic under bright purple tents at the entrance to the courthouse at the Government Center on Water Street.
“We’ve had some great support from Kaiser Permanente,” said Philippa Barron, COO of Santa Cruz Community Health. “It’s such a pleasure to see people signing up with MyTurn and others just walking into this mobile clinic.”
The success of the pop-up clinic prompted the non-profit to continue the effort every Monday and Tuesday morning through the first full week of September.
Kaiser Permanente also partnered with the Central Coast YMCA on vaccination pop-up clinics in Watsonville, Salinas, Monterey, and Hollister. Information booths have also been set up in Watsonville and Salinas to provide residents with information about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
At Felt Park in Santa Cruz, a weekend Corazon de Mujeres festival also provided free vaccines to attendees. As young Folklorico dancers entertained, people were vaccinated thanks to a partnership with the United Way of Santa Cruz County, the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency, and Kaiser Permanente.
Ash Gonzalez, donor engagement and marketing manager of United Way of Santa Cruz County, said the festival was aimed at attracting children and teens, with the hope that those 12 and older would get vaccinated.
”Every shot is equally important in combatting this pandemic, so we are very happy to be a part of the solution,” she said.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans.
Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers.
Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.