The St. Joe Community Health Foundation is helping bring private funders together to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

As vaccinations become available, the Allen County Department of Health is under a tremendous strain to provide the professionals and resources needed to immunize residents quickly. That’s why the St. Joe Foundation, AWS Foundation, United Way of Allen County, the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and other funders are all joining forces to create the Operation Vaccination fund. 

This critical private funding will support the Department of Health’s efforts to hire additional health care staff to administer the vaccine, as well as assure they workers and the volunteers have appropriate personal protective equipment, food for volunteers working long shifts, and other necessary items. The fund will also help equip Super Shot with the staffing needed to handle the Department of Health’s regular community vaccinations during the first six months of 2021. Later, Super Shot will likely play a large part in assisting the Department of Health with pediatric COVID immunizations. Finally, the private resources will support community education to answer questions and concerns residents may have about the vaccine.

“While the government will provide the vaccine free of charge, communities are responsible for distributing the vaccine, and it has been unclear how much of the related administrative expenses will be eligible for funding from the federal government,” says Mindy Waldron, Allen County Department of Health administrator. “We are grateful for local philanthropy stepping up alongside our healthcare heroes to help the whole community get vaccinated.”

The St. Joe Foundation supports Operation Vaccination through its Access to Quality, Affordable Healthcare impact area, which works to assure that everyone in the community has access to quality healthcare regardless of their ability to pay.