The Learning Undefeated Newsroom

Sojourners | Churches are part of communities; neighbors are familiar with them. They go to services there, they’ve gotten married there, they’ve buried their elders there. It’s critical we have community pillars like this that are safe places, safe havens where people can get vaccinated. That’s what congregations are now helping to do.

WTTG (Fox-5, DC) | DC Health’s plan is to give out a hundred additional doses on Saturday to residents who have pre-registered to get the vaccine. Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt “It’s extremely important to me that our residents in Wards 5, 7, and 8 takes the same advantage to get the vaccine as everyone else. And if that means that we partner with members of the faith community to bring the vaccine to their places of worship, and that they have the opportunity to be ambassadors for the vaccine, we’re willing to make those partnerships happen.”

WJLA (ABC-7, WJLA) | Learning Undefeated’s Drop Anywhere Labs are making a big impact in the COVID-19 vaccination effort, as part of DC Health’s “Faith in the Vaccine” program. This community-based effort to vaccinate vulnerable senior populations in Wards 5, 7, and 8 is profiled on ABC-7 news.

NBC-4 (DC) | Outside the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, a small shipping container having a big impact. It’s being used as a vaccine site for senior citizens, like Eddie and Ernestine Hamilton, as part of DC Health’s partnership with Learning Undefeated and other community groups called “Faith in the Vaccine.”

“Our Drop Anywhere Labs will provide a secure, professional laboratory space for the ‘Faith in the Vaccine’ mobile health initiative, which supports the District of Columbia in equitably distributing the COVID-19 vaccine across multiple sites in the city,” said Brian Gaines, CEO of Learning Undefeated. “As part of this wide-reaching coalition of community leaders, we’re committed to ensuring that every community in the District has access to the COVID-19 vaccine, starting with Wards 5, 7 and 8.”

Washington Post | Holding clinics on church grounds can make getting the vaccine easier for people who do not have the ability to drive to a mass vaccination clinic or who have trouble getting online to check and recheck websites, hoping for an appointment. And seeing pastors getting vaccinated can help ease people’s concerns about getting the shots. “We know the faith community has the ear of their people and are a trusted voice. For people who might be a little hesitant, to see their pastor get vaccinated builds that trust immediately.”