Standard-Times
NEW BEDFORD – The SouthCoast Community Foundation announced today it is awarding a total of $433,567 from the SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund in its first round of grants to address COVID-19 vaccine equity and hesitancy. The Community Foundation is partnering with city health officials and leaders to invest strategically in Brockton, Fall River, and New Bedford, to ensure that all community members become aware of the benefits, gain access, and get vaccinated.
Earlier this year, the Community Foundation approached nonprofits, city health directors, and community health centers to identify solutions to tackle the disparity between the state average and the local communities average, particularly in communities of color. As of May 14, the fully vaccinated rate in Massachusetts is 43.8%. Collectively Brockton, Fall River, and New Bedford is lower than the state at approximately 31.9%.1