Windsor Rotary Provides Grant in Support of Huerta Gym Vaccination Center
As part of the launch of our COVID Vaccination Access Project, the Rotary Club of Windsor yesterday made a $5,000.00 grant to the Alliance Medical Center to support its operation of the Covid Vaccination Clinic at the Huerta Gymnasium in Windsor.
“Alliance Medical Center is honored to accept this gift to help us vaccinate as many Windsor residents as we can during this pandemic,” stated Joan Churchill, Alliance Medical Center CEO. “The Rotary has already helped enormously by conducting outreach to vulnerable residents that need the extra help getting the vaccination scheduled. The Rotarians kindness in making sure elders and others that are currently eligible for the vaccine is heart-felt and needed. Mass vaccination programs are huge lifts that cannot be done by only one entity – it takes all of us, and on Alliance and our partners behalf, thank you for making the lift easier.”
We in Rotary are especially concerned about providing assistance to local seniors. The barriers faced by seniors in applying for appointments to be vaccinated include the availability of computers, internet access and/or the skills necessary to complete the application process, physical and mental health limitations, and the ability to get to a vaccination site. The Town of Windsor includes numerous senior residents who are experiencing the impact of these barriers.
The operation of the Huerta Gym Covid Vaccination Clinic dovetails directly with the efforts of our Club to enhance opportunities for seniors and all residents of Windsor to obtain Covid vaccinations.
- The Alliance Medical Center is a federally qualified health clinic providing health care services in the Healdsburg/Windsor area of Northern Sonoma County. The Alliance’s mission is to offer access to comprehensive health care services regardless of a person’s ability to pay. Currently 1 in 6 Windsor residents receive at least some of their healthcare through Alliance.
- Alliance Medical Center is not receiving any funding from state or federal agencies associated with conducting vaccination clinics scheduled to occur at the Huerta Gymnasium in Windsor. The State is providing contracted nurses, however Alliance needs to provide clinical supervision and operations and vaccine management on site at all times. It is expected that the federal government will eventually provide some funds but there is currently no indication when this might occur and for what amount.
- A direct $5,000.00 grant from Windsor Rotary to Alliance Medical Center will support the Huerta Gym vaccination clinics.
- The Rotary Club of Windsor and the Alliance Medical Center have already started working together in an effort to perform outreach to Windsor seniors to assist them in completing applications and scheduling appointments for vaccinations at the Huerta Gym clinic. Recently, Alliance vaccinated employees at Oliver’s supermarket and many restaurant employees in Windsor. When more vaccine is available, Alliance will continue to offer vaccinations to Windsor’s essential workers.
- The opportunity for Covid vaccination clinics to occur at Huerta Gym reduces barriers to accessibility for individuals in Windsor, particularly seniors and others, who have limited transportation resources.
- The Alliance Medical Center has a long and substantial history of providing medical services for residents of Windsor, and the Huerta Gym vaccination clinic is a natural extension of its medical services program during this time of Covid pandemic. Alliance offers primary care, specialty healthcare, behavioral health services and dental services at two sites in Windsor, as well as telephone and video visits to further extend access.