Waynesburg, Ohio is located in southeastern Stark County, bordering on Carroll County. The village with a population just under 1,000 is home to the Helping Hands Network, a nonprofit organization committed to eliminating hunger in the community. In this rural area, residents frequently travel to larger cities for healthcare and social services, but transportation can be time-consuming and costly, especially as gas prices hover around $4 per gallon.
Recognizing that transportation and limited access to healthcare are social determinants that contribute to low COVID-19 vaccination rates, Beacon Charitable Pharmacy, Matrix Medical Network, the Ohio Department of Health, and Stark County Health Department joined together with Helping Hands to host a health fair on May 4, 2022 during the food pantry’s peak hours. Since interest in COVID-19 vaccination has declined, the partners planned an approach to engaging the community that would be responsive to the community’s interest and needs while also making vaccines easy to access. Helping Hands contributed significantly to planning an event that would be successful with the local population.
Helping Hands kitchen staff encouraged their clients to stop by the health fair tables and take advantage of the free resources. Not only did seven community members get vaccinated, the partnership distributed 25 HEPA air purifiers, nine convertible car seats, 2 booster seats, 25 emergency preparedness bags, and mini first aid kits. Beacon Charitable Pharmacy provided COVID-19 vaccination education, blood pressure checks, and information on accessing affordable prescription medication.
“It was very impressive,” said Carol Risaliti, Beacon Charitable Pharmacy, “There was a lot of health education done and people were really engaged.”
Community members saw an opportunity to expand the reach of the health fair to family members and friends who were unable to attend.
“There were some grandmas, moms, who got car seats,” said Kay Conley, Stark County Health Department. “A gentleman had gotten one for his niece and two individuals from the health department actually drove it down to his house because he couldn’t carry it with his load…It was awesome to meet with the community where they were and meet their needs.”
All partners agreed that multiple visits to the community are likely to increase resident trust of COVID-19 vaccination. Seven vaccines are a solid accomplishment in a rural community amid national misperceptions that the pandemic has gone away.
“The individuals getting the vaccine are the ones that need it most,” said Michael Taber, Matrix Medical.
When asked if it was worth it for the State of Ohio van to come to Waynesburg for this event, Mr. Taber responded, “Getting into these communities is the mission we signed up with as part of the Health Equity team, and hearing that they would like us to come back, we would love to.
The partners look forward to returning to Waynesburg in the coming months for another event with Helping Hands.
Original source can be found here.
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