Whittier Street Health Center Receives Grant Funding from Liberty Mutual Foundation to Overcome COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

BOSTON, March 9, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Whittier President and CEO Frederica M. Williams sees the Foundation's support as an important vote of confidence in Whittier's work and critical to helping save more lives in the Black and Brown communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. 

"We are honored to receive this generous support from the Liberty Mutual Foundation for our COVID-19 vaccine outreach and education campaign," notes Ms. Williams. "Whittier has been a trusted provider for our community since the start of the pandemic, and now that we are offering the COVID-19 vaccine at both of our facilities, and through our Mobile Health Vans, we need to make sure that every person in the community has equal access to the lifesaving tools now available."

Liberty Mutual's support is especially significant, Ms. Williams observes, because there is currently little funding available to support these efforts. 

"Overcoming the vaccine hesitancy and mistrust in communities of color requires a comprehensive campaign with many elements—on the ground education, media coverage and PSAs that feature trusted messengers getting the vaccine, pop-up mobile vaccine clinics at hotspots such as public housing developments, senior housing sites and faith institutions. All of these require staff time and resources not funded by existing grants and contracts."

The Liberty Mutual grant funds will be used to support these outreach and education activities, with the aim of helping families in communities of color finally emerge from the crisis that has taken an outsized toll on their jobs, schooling, businesses and health. 

Klare Shaw, National Director of Programs at the Liberty Mutual Foundation, voiced her strong support for Whittier's campaign, stating: "COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting our communities in greatest need. As a result, mobilization, education and outreach programs from trusted sources in the community like Whittier is critical for reaching our most vulnerable populations. We are proud to support Whittier and their dedicated staff as they champion equitable access to high-quality, cost-effective health care for all."

For more information about Whittier's vaccine outreach and education campaign, please contact Christine Pajarillo ([email protected]), LICSW, Vice President of Programs and Social Services. 

For media inquiries, please contact Nicole Maxey at [email protected].

Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary care for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, Whittier is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. Learn more at www.wshc.org.

Source: Whittier Street Health Center