Vaccines at
The GWC
Date of the Event: March and April
What's The Gist?
During this time, Health Centers had temporarily stopped giving out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for COVID-19. So, Grace Welcome Center decided to go above and beyond for the community. They began to give out legal vaccines for the virus. They decided that it wasn't their obligation, but it was what they thought they were called to do as the GWC. Because everyone is welcome there. And everyone matters.
Grace Welcome Center stepped up when others went down. So many people were in need, and coming from the community, they knew what it was like. They weren't better than anyone, they are equals. They call people that come to them their guests for a reason!
Knowing that the Grace Welcome Center volunteers came from their own community, reinforced the idea that everyone are guests at the Grace Welcome Center.
Vaccines at Grace Welcome Center might just seem like a simple thing they offered. But to everyone that they helped, it had a major impact. Because, in reality, it was a humanitarian thing. The fact that they stepped up for their community was HUGE!
Grace Welcome Center is there to feed and help others in their community. But it's also about building unity in their community.
Once the other areas for vaccines had stopped issuing out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Grace Welcome Center decided to answer the call for the community. It began in March, (more specifically the 26th) of 2021. They were open through the spring and were one of the only places giving out the vaccine. The old building of Shopko was another place to get vaccinated, but Grace Welcome Center made it two places. When Johnson & Johnson temporarily had to shut everything down in the area, the Grace Welcome Center also had to shut down for a short time.
When everything was back up and running again the GWC services weren’t really needed, so they closed down the vaccine part of GWC. Until the fall, when they re-opened to give out the booster shots of the vaccine.
Written By: Adelyn Bergendahl
What are the details?
A pop up clinic was set up at the church.
The clinic gave away vaccines and some cash to the first couple of people so they not only become safer, but also have a little more money to afford more things and get through what they’re in.
At one point, no ID or appointments where needed to receive a vaccine at the welcome center.
Some people that have no home or aren’t able to have an ID or make an appointment can get vaccines and be a little safer during the pandemic.
The sooner the vaccines got out, the sooner it would be safe enough for people to get food and some other items.
People who needed aid also needed a vaccine from COVID-19. Getting vaccinated would help in protecting a majority of the population and they would have a better chance of not being sent to the hospital; by the virus. The sooner the vaccine was given out the sooner the GWC could give out food.
A free takeaway breakfast was also offered to those who visit the clinic.
Along with a vaccine, people could receive some breakfast. If you couldn't afford any food, were unable to eat anything, or were just hungry, you could get something to eat.
Bringing a vaccine clinic to GWC made it easier for people to receive COVID-19 shots.
In a neighborhood outreach effort, the Kenosha County Public Health and Grace Welcome Center worked together to provide greater access to COVID-19 vaccines for under served populations.
Who was involved? How were they were involved?
Leif Peterson: Executive director of Grace Welcome Center. Helped set up vaccine clinics and possibly organize.
Public health employees: Set up the walk-in clinics and gave vaccines.
Kenosha County Public Health: Collaborated with GWC to bring vaccines to people.
Volunteers at GWC gave away the money to the first 40 people, and breakfast.
Nurses from Kenosha Department of Health gave vaccines.
Why is this event/moment important to the Uptown Community and greater Kenosha?
This service was very important to the people that received the vaccine. They needed it in their community, and the Grace Welcome Center decided that they could do it, and they chose to. It caused a large impact on those that directly were involved and affected, and those who heard about it. For the reason that we need to strive to become a better community. We need unity.
Sources:
Pastor Barker Account.mp4( Recorded April 13th 2022)
( Kenosha News March 30, 2021)
(Press Release from the Kenosha Country Health Dept. March 26th, 2021)
(Civiv Alert from the Kenosha Country Health Dept. March 26th, 2021)
Author of Web Page
Adelyn Bergendahl 7th Grade; Daniel Hernadez 8th Grader at Harborside Academy (May 2022)