Adventist Healthcare, CASA and Latino Health Initiative Partners with Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties to Get 600 Latinos Vaccinated Weekly at Special Clinic

For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 25, 2021

This week, Adventist HealthCare, CASA, and the Latino Health Initiative through the “Our Health and Wellness” initiative launched a partnership to vaccinate 600 Latinos per week from Montgomery and Prince George's counties to make the COVID-19 vaccine available to communities that have experienced lower vaccination rates and higher deaths tolls during the pandemic.  

Adventist HealthCare will vaccinate preselected community members weekly at their Takoma Park facility in Montgomery County. CASA will sign up 300 community members from Prince George's County, while “Our Health and Wellness” initiative ("Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar", en Español) will include 300 others from Montgomery County.

"These public-private vaccination partnerships are the bridges local governments, entities, and, in particular, the community need at this time to overcome inequities and gaps facing the most vulnerable among us," said Sonia Mora, director of the Latino Health Initiative in Montgomery County. 

The decades-long ties and strong community presence of these three organizations have been instrumental in this alliance's success.

"CASA has deep roots in the community, and we are encouraged that this partnership with Adventist HealthCare and the Latino Health Initiative is helping to bring the vaccine closer to those who have been hit hard by the coronavirus and who confront enormous vulnerability and risk of infection," expressed Gustavo Torres, executive director at CASA.

“Adventist HealthCare’s hospitals have seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 on our Latino communities,” said Terry Forde, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare. “Vaccination can save lives. We’re grateful to CASA and the Latino Health Initiative for partnering with us to expand access to vaccines and reach more of our neighbors who so urgently need this protection.”

The announcement is welcomed by Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, where local leaders have been committed to fight inequities and ease access to the COVID-19 vaccine to all.

“We want to thank Adventist HealthCare and CASA for collaborating to help vaccinate our Latino residents, because trusted community partners are critical to ensuring an equitable vaccine distribution and building confidence in the vaccine,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “Our Latino community was hit particularly hard by this pandemic, so we are proud of this new initiative to further increase access to this life-saving vaccine and ensure more residents can be Proud to be Protected from COVID-19.”

“We need to make sure that we reach communities that have been hit especially hard by this virus.  They need access to these life-saving vaccines,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “I want to extend my sincere thanks to Adventist HealthCare, CASA, and the Latino Health Initiative Partners for this innovative collaboration on behalf of Montgomery and Prince George’s County residents.”

Montgomery County’s Council President, Tom Hucker, said that "this partnership is a welcome step toward addressing and overcoming the inequities in our state's vaccine rollout. We're proud to be working with our trusted community partners to bring doses where they are most needed and get shots into the arms of our most vulnerable residents." 

Prince George’s County Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins, II expressed, "The CASA partnership with Adventist HealthCare will provide 600 weekly vaccinations to Latino residents; 300 Montgomery and 300 Prince Georges County Latinos will be eligible weekly to receive the vaccination! The collaboration with Adventist HealthCare is another glaring example of CASA’s awesome leadership in making life better for the Latino community.  We all may emulate CASA’s example in positively impacting the lives of others!"

Gabe Albornoz, Montgomery County Council Vice President, explained that “COVID-19 has devastated countless lives and has disproportionately impacted our most vulnerable populations this past year.  However, this public-private partnership between Adventist Healthcare, CASA, and the Latino Health Initiative will help bridge health inequities imposed by this lethal virus and begin to save lives through accessible vaccinations.”

Councilmember Nancy Navarro, who chairs the Council's Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee, said, “This partnership is an important step towards achieving Montgomery County’s goal of equitable vaccine distribution. This pandemic has highlighted the need for closing the gaps in healthcare access in the long term, and I hope that this good work will provide the foundation for a better future. In the meantime, we need to continue to work together to proactively reach communities which have historically lacked adequate healthcare access if we want to truly stop the spread.”

Prince George’s County Council Vice-Chair, Deni Taveras also expressed her support to this partnership.  "Thank you to Adventist Hospital, CASA and all stakeholders for making this vaccine site a reality so close to District 2 in Prince George's County. While representing the smallest and densest area of the county, 20% of all county residents infected by COVID-19 live within my jurisdiction. Sites like these are crucial for helping to close the disparity gap. Partners like you help to make all the difference."

“Takoma Park welcomes the vaccine site,” said Mayor Kate Stewart of Takoma Park. “Partnerships like these are essential to help those who have been hit hard by this pandemic and address the disparities in access to vaccines.”     

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Contacts: Tina Sheesley, Adventist HealthCare, 301-315-3330 | Sobeida Rosa, CASA, 240-515-6651 | Scott Peterson, Montgomery County Government, scott.peterson@montgomerycountymd.gov

Release ID: 21-195
Media Contact: Scott Peterson 240-777-6507
Categories: COVID-19