Elevate’s Commitment to Equitable Vaccine Distribution
We are heartened by many of the on-the-ground efforts going on now to ensure equitable distribution including Protect Chicago and the City of Chicago’s COVID Vulnerability Index (CCVI) ratings of Chicago neighborhoods. Using a variety of health and economic indicators, the CCVI provides a framework for directing and mobilizing resources to communities that are most affected by the pandemic.
All Illinois residents can find COVID vaccination sites at Illinois.gov or go to www.zocdoc.com/vaccine to find Chicago-based community run locations. Anyone who doesn’t have access to a computer or needs help registering can call Elevate’s Community Resource team at 833-204-1992 for support.
Starting March 4 Chicago residents 65+ can sign up to receive a vaccination at Chicago’s United Center, which is opening as a mass vaccination site in partnership with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Governor Pritzker, and the Chicago Department of Public Health. Uber is offering free rides to and from the United Center’s vaccination site when you sign up through www.zocdoc.com/vaccine or by calling 312-746-4835.
Elevate listens to and works alongside underserved communities in Chicago and nationwide. We strive to dismantle oppressive systems by developing internal and external policies, programs, and procedures that lead to racial equity. As we watched the COVID-19 pandemic unfold, we were struck once again by the lopsided impact this disease has had on communities of color both economically and physically.
We responded to the pandemic by diverting our resources to deliver water, food, and other essential services to those most in need who welcomed our support. In this phase of the pandemic, we want to reaffirm our commitment to equity by solidarity with the communities most affected by COVID-19 and their rights to receive equitable access to vaccinations.
Elevate also endeavors to be a trusted partner to the communities in which we work by prioritizing providing well-researched and reliable information on the efficacy, safety, and availability of vaccinations. We do this for our selves and for everyone where we live work or play.
We ask our leaders to use a filter of mindful impact, equity, and safety to provide vaccinations and other supportive services to fight the pandemic, ensuring they are delivered and received by those that need them most.
We applaud these efforts and will continue to support this and other work that furthers a more just and equitable world for all.
Elevate’s Leadership Team
