March 1, 2023
Nearly a year after the Knoxville Area Urban League activated its Community Health Navigators, the organization is closing in on its COVID-19 vaccination goal. By March 31, the navigators aim to encourage approximately 900 more people to get a first or second vaccination.
As an incentive, Knoxville Area Urban League is offering a $50 Kroger card to anyone who receives either shot at one of the organization’s clinics. Individuals can earn another $50 card by bringing someone to receive a first or second vaccine at a clinic. Additionally, the Urban League is giving a $50 card to those who can prove they started the vaccination series after Feb. 1, 2023.
“One of the founding initiatives of the Urban League is health care access, which people of color disproportionately encounter challenges to,” Knoxville Area Urban League President & CEO Charles F. Lomax Jr. said. “None of us can prosper if our health is in jeopardy. That’s why we encourage everyone to take advantage of these free COVID-19 vaccination opportunities and earn no-strings-attached money for groceries, gas or other needs.”
The organization’s 25 Community Health Navigators have partnered with providers, including New Direction Health Care Solutions, Cherokee Health Systems and the Knox County Health Department to administer more than 2,500 COVID-19 vaccines in the Knoxville area.
Visit thekaul.org/vaccine for a full list of upcoming clinics and additional information. No appointment is needed, and the vaccine is free. The offer ends March 31, 2023.
The vaccination effort is funded by a $1.4 million grant the Knoxville chapter received in February 2022 through the National Urban League from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. Since then, Community Health Navigators have canvased neighborhoods to answer questions about the vaccine and direct residents to clinics, where partner providers administer the shots.
The Knoxville affiliate was one of five Urban League chapters nationwide selected to receive part of the $11.125 million to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates and acceptance in their communities. The objective of the American Rescue Plan funding is to expand vaccine access for the hardest-hit and most vulnerable communities.
About the Knoxville Area Urban League
Since 1968, the Knoxville Area Urban League has assisted disadvantaged people attain social and economic stability and self-sufficiency through direct services and advocacy. The League works to provide a skilled and diverse workforce; to increase homeownership; to support economic and small business development, and to enhance education efforts for our youth. The Knoxville Area Urban League is a United Way partner agency and affiliate of the National Urban League. The League’s work and results are evident in the lives of the over 8,000 people it impacts each year. For more information, call 865-524-5511 or visit thekaul.org.
