Community grants totaling $50,000 will help local nonprofits and grassroots groups connect underserved people to information and opportunities to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

United Way BCKR provided the local grants as part of the Get Vaccinated Michigan campaign led by the Michigan Association of United Ways and the Michigan Nonprofit Association. The statewide effort aims to vaccinate at least 70% of Michiganders against the novel coronavirus. Get Vaccinated Michigan is disbursing $2.5 million in funding from the State of Michigan and $2.5 million in matching funds from private donors. Local United Ways serve as hubs in 20 high-need counties based on ALICE Report data and the Social Vulnerability Index.

Irene Muthui, Associate Director of Impact and Equitable Systems, said the local outreach is crucial for populations especially hard hit by COVID-19, who lack access to the vaccine, or who hesitate because of historical marginalization by health care. For example, 2020 essay published in the Health and Human Rights Journal and on the National Institutes of Health website reported that the COVID-19 death rate per 100,000 people is more than double for African-Americans compared to whites. It’s also significantly higher for Indigenous, Latinx and Pacific Islander populations.

“Economic and racial inequality are key drivers of these disparities,” said Muthui. “United Way and local grassroots groups are tackling these barriers to access by helping people get the facts about COVID-19 and the vaccines, and helping them get immunized.”

Ten nonprofits in Battle Creek and Kalamazoo received the grants:

• African Community Kalamazoo, supporting a campaign to inform local African immigrants and provide gift cards as incentives.
• Allen Chapel AME, to create an onsite health and wellness zone at the church, using fun activities to engage local residents, inform them and encourage vaccination.
• Community Healing Centers, collaborating with Family Health Center to transport residents to FHC for educational sessions and vaccine clinics.
• Disability Network Southwest Michigan, underwriting gift cards offered as incentives for residents with disabilities to receive the vaccine during a recent clinic.
• Heritage Community of Kalamazoo, to provide incentives to staff, who serve the elderly population, to get vaccinated.
• Greater Kingdom International, to expand testing teams at churches, provide information about the vaccine, and offer incentives to get immunized.
• Steps To Victory, supporting a two-day “pop-up” educational effort to inform people about the vaccine, answer questions and provide incentives for those who are vaccinated.
• YWCA Kalamazoo, to help fund a collaborative online information session with vaccine experts, then provide the livestream to other organizations.
• Washington Heights United Methodist Church, equipping Vaccine Ambassadors to engage directly with neighborhood residents to address misinformation, distrust and hesitancy.
• Milk Like Mine/Michigan Breastfeeding Network, supporting public health providers who work with breastfeeding families to get accurate information about the vaccine.