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Kansas City, MO — Three Kansas City metro area health foundations have awarded $271,600 in grants to 28 community and grassroots organizations to provide COVID-19 vaccine education to improve vaccination rates in communities of color, rural areas and in targeted neighborhoods where vaccine uptake has lagged.
Health Forward Foundation, REACH Healthcare Foundation and Wyandotte Health Foundation partnered to create the Vaccine Education Equity Fund to support educational efforts focused on Black, Latinx, immigrant and refugee, and rural communities. The fund was designed to ensure that historically underserved communities receive timely and accurate information about COVID vaccines and their safety.
“We know that successful vaccine uptake is key to ensuring we can get back to normal. But it’s going to take all of us. This funding supports trusted community partners who provide clear and accurate information to address distrust and misinformation,” said Qiana Thomason, President and CEO, Health Forward Foundation.
The organizations selected for funding have demonstrated experience working with Black, Latinx, immigrant and refugee, and rural populations on health and other related issues. Emphasis also was placed on engaging organizations that use grassroots and community-focused outreach methods in their work. Grants were limited to a maximum of $10,000 and designed to be implemented within the calendar year.
“The organizations selected for funding offer unique perspectives on how to bridge vaccine concerns,” said Brenda Sharpe, President and CEO, REACH Healthcare Foundation. “Given the changing nature of vaccine information, it’s even more critical to enlist the expertise of these trusted partners.”
“These organizations are committed to their communities, and the projects they’ve planned clearly demonstrate that, said Cathy Harding, President and CEO, Wyandotte Health Foundation. “We’re so fortunate to partner with them on these important initiatives to provide information critically needed today.”
Vaccine Education Equity Fund grants were awarded to the following organizations:
For more information on the Vaccine Education Equity Fund, contact: