How a Group of Black Doctors Got Philadelphia Vaccinated

Black Men Heal provides access to mental health treatment and resources to men of color. The organization offers eight free therapy sessions to Black men who fill out an application to qualify for the program and are then matched with therapists of color. Black Men Heal has provided 1,295 free sessions so far and has graduated its 10th cohort of patients, 75% of whom are staying in therapy.

Most states in the U.S. are struggling to effectively and efficiently distribute the COVID-19 vaccine, while "West Virginia became the first state to finish round one of the two-dose vaccine series in nursing homes." The key to the state's success included preemptively preparing a vaccination dissemination plan and partnering with independent and chain pharmacies.

To Covid vaccinations into as many arms as possible, a group of community clinics in Alabama called Cahaba Medical Care is working together with underserved communities to spread the word and schedule appointments. Although the vaccination efforts have been "chaotic," the team of health care workers has successfully managed to expand access to many community members across the state.

To discourage the spread of misinformation about the Covid vaccine and decrease vaccine hesitancy in minority communities, religious leaders and other influential people in Britain have launched campaigns to dispel concerns. According to a survey about overall willingness to take the vaccine, the efforts – which include posters, sermons, a help line, and WhatsApp chats – have been working.

Community centers in New York are playing a crucial role in helping to connect the city's Asian residents with Covid vaccine appointments. From training translators on medical lingo to collecting local resident's information for online scheduling, these community organizations are "filling the gaps government agencies have left behind."

In Cuyahoga County, Ohio, a phone line has helped tens of thousands of residents access information about Covid-19 as well as make appointments to receive their vaccinations. The helpline is a "natural extension of the services" already provided by United Way of Greater Cleveland’s 211 HelpLink.

Toronto’s Vaccine Engagement Teams Grant has awarded $5.5 million to community organizations in 140 neighborhoods to hire and train local ambassadors for vaccine outreach. Because the ambassadors share a lived experience with the communities, they can effectively identify the barriers people face. The on-the-ground effort includes sharing information, advocating for community needs, and helping people access services. The outreach focuses on people often overlooked by government services, such as unhoused people and people who do not speak English or have precarious immigration status.

he Metro Atlanta Urban Farm has fed 25,000 families. The predominantly-Black city lacks access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables due to racist housing policies and grocery practices.

The Chinese American Service League’s (CASL) Change InSight coalition surveys communities in more Asian languages to allow for more inclusive data collection, particularly among low-income AAPIs. Better data collection increases the visibility of the challenges under-resourced AAPIs face, allowing the CASL to launch social service programs to address challenges in the community, like food insecurity.

Trans Houses are community shelters created by and for trans women in Bolivia that offer comprehensive health services, psychological support, legal assistance, and entrepreneurship opportunities, evolving from basic assistance spaces into collective emancipation platforms that have served over 2,500 people across four cities and are expanding as a replicable model of social transformation. This story is available in Spanish here: https://solu.news/1qka