COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Grantees in the News

As a statewide grantmaking program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, New Jersey Health Initiatives (NJHI) has been working with state leaders, nonprofits and service providers for months to design a strategy to vaccinate vulnerable New Jerseyans against COVID-19. As part of this strategy, NJHI has awarded 19 grants to date to support community-led efforts to 1) engage resident leaders in outreach efforts and 2) make the COVID-19 vaccine more readily accessible to returning citizens, individuals experiencing homelessness, homebound residents, migrant workers, seniors and other high-risk populations.

From barbers becoming community connectors and providing information about the vaccine to their clients and neighbors; to clergy, healthcare personnel and county partners coordinating mobile vaccination clinics, these grantees’ commitment to collaboration at every level have created models for providing equitable access to the vaccine. Over the long term, these efforts could lay the foundation for long-term systems change that ensures everyone has what they need to thrive.

Browse recent media coverage of the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity cohort of grantees:

• ‘My mind’s made up’: Trusted Vaccine Messengers in Camden have Their Work Cut Out for Them
  WHYY. August 17, 2021.

• Camden Mayor Goes Door-to-door with Bullhorn Urging Vaccinations
  CNN. August 11, 2021.

• Camden City Vaccine Parade Goes Door-to-Door Administering Shots
  NBC 10 Philadelphia / Long, C. August 10, 2021.

• “We’re coming to you!” Camden Mayor Goes Door-to-door with Bullhorn Urging Vaccinations
  6 ABC Philadelphia and WHYY / Thomas, T. August 5, 2021.

• Camden Mayor, Nursing Students Go Door-To-Door To Get More Residents Vaccinated
  CBS 3 Philadelphia / Petrillo, M. August 5, 2021.

• Initiative to Deliver COVID-19 Vaccinations to Camden County Residents Where They Live and Congregate
  Rutgers – Camden News Now / Leong, J. August 2021.

• ‘Delta Variant has Changed the Game.’ Mobile Vaccination Unit Heads to Englewood
  News 12 New Jersey. August 5, 2021.

• Local Barbers Recruited to Raise Vaccination Rates in Camden
  Tapinto Camden / Zucker, N. July 25, 2021.

• Camden Barbers Talk Vaccine Importance with Customers
  NJ Spotlight News / Flanagan, B. July 23, 2021.

• Camden Barbers Become Messengers of COVID-19 Vaccine Importance, Thanks to Innovative Collaboration
  Rutgers–Camden News Now / McLaughlin, T. July 20, 2021.
  
• Inside Efforts to Vaccinate the Ramapough Lenape Nation
  WNBC 4 New York. March 19, 2021.

Meet a number of the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity grantees and learn about their work here.

Learn more about the NJ Vaccination Learning Network here.