Silver State Equality Awarded $100,000 for COVID-19 Vaccination and Community Outreach
LAS VEGAS, NEV. – Silver State Equality, Nevada’s statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, was awarded a two-year $100,000 grant from the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) to promote COVID-19 vaccination and information within the LGBTQ+ community. Silver State Equality is the only Nevada LGBTQ+ organization to receive this grant from SNHD, which is funded by a $5,518,801 grant from the CDC to address COVID-19 health disparities in vulnerable communities. In total, SNHD has dispersed the funds through 11 local organizations, including Silver State Equality.
Silver State Equality will use the funds to develop bilingual public education and community outreach campaigns to connect LGBTQ+ Nevadans with the resources and support they need to access COVID-19 information, healthcare, testing, medical treatment, and vaccinations. Programs will include coordinating and training a diverse group of community and faith leaders to share relevant messages about the risks and health impacts of COVID-19 — and flu — stressing the importance of vaccination. Outreach efforts will be concentrated within the TGI (transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex), Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities.
Additionally, Silver State Equality will use the grant funding to collaborate with SNHD’s immunization programs for flu and COVID-19 and to work with vaccination providers and LGBTQ+ organization to set up temporary and/or mobile COVID-19/influenza vaccination sites.
“Health disparities among LGBTQ+ communities, especially those intersecting with Black, Latinx and all communities of color, have been exacerbated by COVID-19,” said André C. Wade, Silver State Equality state director. “The pandemic has underscored the core social inequalities that need to be remedied to promote long-term health and wellbeing for LGBTQ+ people, particularly LGBTQ+ people of color.
According to the SNHD, in Clark County, COVID-19 continues to impact minority communities with higher infection rates and lower vaccination rates.
“The pandemic has had a disconcerting impact on our LGBTQ+ community,” said Wade. “Silver State Equality has worked tirelessly with our partners in the Nevada Legislature and Governor’s office to help ensure LGBTQ+ people have access to the resources they need. Thanks to the SNHD grant, Silver State Equality is better positioned to spearhead a coordinated effort, along with our community- and faith-based partners across the state, to make sure every LGBTQ+ Nevadan receives trusted information to stay knowledgeable and get vaccinated.”
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About Silver State Equality:
As Nevada’s statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, Silver State Equality brings the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in Nevada and throughout the U.S. Silver State Equality strives to create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. Silver State Equality is a Nevada-based program affiliated with and supported by Equality California and Equality California Institute, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. Information at SilverStateEquality.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Melissa Warren, The Warren Group for Silver State Equality
MOBILE: (702) 528-6016 EMAIL: melissa@twgpr.com