The Wellness Coalition (TWC) has worked with many churches throughout the River Region to enhance or develop their health ministries. The overall goal is to improve health and wellness in their congregations.
The health ministries put together events surrounding healthy nutrition for the community to promote a healthier lifestyle. Many of the churches worked with TWC before the COVID-19 pandemic. Once TWC introduced a new program, the COVID-19 and Flu Vaccination Project, they knew many faith-based organizations they could turn to.
Working with Pharmacies to Provide Vaccines
In the past, TWC worked with churches on flu vaccination clinics and education. Now they are tackling COVID-19 and flu vaccine uptake. There are many steps the team takes to coordinate vaccination clinics with the churches and vice versa. Each organization has specific roles for prepping a clinic, but either can initiate a clinic.
TWC contacts pharmacies to see who is available for an off-site vaccination clinic, discuss which COVID-19 vaccine(s) could be given, estimate how many people plan to get vaccinated, how many people need to register to come out and administer shots, and discuss how TWC can assist the pharmacy
Behind the Scenes of a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
The churches pick a space for the clinic to be set up, whether it’s a mobile clinic or indoors, and provide chairs, tables, water, and promotions for the
clinic. TWC promotes the clinic and other events the health ministries have as well.
TWC assists the church and pharmacy on registration, parking, the 15-minute wait after administration, and fills out demographic forms for their records. The demographic forms don’t ask for personal information and only serves as an evaluation tool to make sure the clinics and vaccine participants are from the same county. Even though the priority audience is African-Americans, TWC welcomes everyone who qualifies for a COVID-19 vaccine to come to any clinic available.
TWC also has a team of Community Health Workers who reach the Montgomery communities face-toface and door-to-door to inform residents about vaccination clinics and wellness programs. They hand out flyers and collect information to provide services to those they encounter.
Churches Promote Wellness
TWC has partnered with several churches with various denominations. This summer, TWC partnered with Saint Peter A.M.E and Adam’s Drugs for a vaccination clinic in conjunction with the church’s “Black Male Expo.” The event took place on a Saturday morning and included healthy food options
from their health ministries to promote better health in African American men.
Men and women of a wide age range got vaccinated on that day and were connected to TWC’s wellness programs. TWC partnered with Hilliard Chapel AME Zion to hold a clinic during a weekday, which attracted the working class during their lunch breaks to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The church was also across from an apartment complex, where TWC’s Community Health Workers canvassed to promote the clinic
Building Lasting Relationships
It is very critical that pharmacies do not waste vials to ensure they have vaccines for others. TWC urges education so that more people register for a vaccination clinic so the event can be a success, but mainly to make sure people feel comfortable getting a vaccine.
Hutchinson Missionary Baptist Church was also a church TWC partnered with over the summer for a vaccination clinic, which led the church and Parks Pharmacy to build a lasting relationship. Hutchinson has partnered with the Montgomery Area Food Bank to host three food drives this fall.
Hundreds of people show up to the drives and some get vaccinated. Others need credible vaccination information before making their vaccination decision. Parks has been providing all three vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson) at the Hutchinson clinics, as well as at every other clinic they
participate in.
Supporting the National Vaccination Effort
The goal of COVID-19 clinics is to ensure the availability of safe, effective vaccines for the communities. The national vaccination effort will be one of the greatest challenges our communities have ever faced. These clinics with health ministries help accelerate getting shots into arms and providing vaccines to he communities that need them most.
The success of the vaccination effort will depend on reaching communities in our areas. COVID-19 vaccines are one of the most effective tools to prevent you from contracting the virus and, with vaccinations becoming widely available, it’s important to get vaccinated as soon as you can.
Working with Health Ministries makes COVID-19 clinics easier because they provide the space and opportunity to educate our population. COVID-19 vaccines limit human-to-human transmission, minimize the impact of COVID-19 in vulnerable counties with limited healthcare capacity, and reduce current and future risks to the public. These churches also help TWC with the rural area population because those areas need our help the most.
Churches Offer Guidance During Troubled Times
Churches have often been a cornerstone in the fight against inequities and are a trusted source of information and guidance during troubled times. During this pandemic, vaccinations have become the latest public service in a health and economic crisis that has seen places of worship offer canned food, clothing, housing, and other assistance that people may need. Churches provide comfort and stability, two qualities that can help increase vaccination rates.
Faith-based organizations are great partners because their facilities are often good locations for vaccine sites. In addition to being centrally located in communities they serve, many have indoor space and parking lots large enough to host drive-thru services and vaccination clinics.
