Stamford wraps up door-to-door vaccination campaign as inoculation rates top 75%
Brianna Gurciullo, Stamford Advocate, Sept. 4
Door-to-door canvassing efforts to boost vaccination rates in Stamford are wrapping up as the city approaches a 75% vaccination rate. As a part of the “Stamford Vaccine Equity Partnership,” community health workers spent time visiting historically overlooked neighborhoods. In the West side and Cove neighborhoods, vaccination rates jumped from 60% to 75% by the end of the summer.
How this after-school program achieved a high vaccination rate in a Black neighborhood where most young adults are unvaccinated
Perry Stein, The Washington Post, Aug. 29
A Washington D.C. program that serves young Black men was determined to overcome vaccine hesitancy in predominantly Black neighborhoods. Life Pieces to Masterpieces spent the summer preparing staff to be equipped with accurate vaccination information and confidence in vaccinating their community. The fully vaccinated staff met fears with trust and care for one another, their students, families, and community.
Colorado clinic’s prescription for healthier patients? Lawyers
Jakob Rodgers, Kaiser Health News, Sept. 8
A Colorado health clinic is newly incorporating legal assistance into its medical practice for patients facing legal challenges such as eviction or deportation proceedings. The state’s Medicaid program partly funds the initiative. Medical-legal partnerships have grown over the past year as millions of people have lost income or faced the threat of losing housing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic is associated with a rise in childhood obesity, a study finds
Andrew Jacobs, The New York Times, Sept. 1
A recent study revealed a 9% increase in obesity among children ages 5 to 11, with an average weight gain of five pounds during the pandemic. School closures, poor eating habits from stress, and lack of access to healthy foods in low-income neighborhoods are all cited as factors attributed to the spike. Researchers and advocates are calling for long-term equitable policy fixes to our food and nutrition systems to combat worsening childhood obesity.
Opinion: Connecticut’s diversity: Growing in expected and unexpected places
Michelle Riordan-Nold, The Connecticut Mirror, Sept. 7
Connecticut is more diverse than it has ever been, according to a first look at 2020 U.S. Census results. Overall, 36.8% of the state’s population is made up of people of color, with demographic shifts across several urban and suburban communities. This changing diversity will be important for decision-makers across the state and nonprofit sectors when considering resource allocations and plans for the future.