Super Shot was established in 1992 by Sr. Mary Conrad Kirchhoff, a Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ stationed at St. Joseph Medical Center, and Dr. Jane Irmscher, Health Commissioner of the Allen County Health Department, to address the area’s low immunization rates. Together, they rallied key community stakeholders to confront our community’s alarming low immunization rates, giving rise to Super Shot, an initiative committed to promoting vaccination and ensuring access to immunization for all. Super Shot’s primary goal is to promote vaccination and provide local children and adults with access to immunization.

At the core of Super Shot’s mission is a powerful vision: to achieve community immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases. This goal is not only ambitious but critical to protecting the health of our children and the broader community.

A recent impact story highlights a patient who received the Abrysvo vaccine at Super Shot to protect her unborn baby from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Due to her age and insurance status, Super Shot was the only facility offering the vaccine at no cost. RSV is a leading cause of infant hospitalization, and both Abrysvo and Beyfortus are available to safeguard newborns, with over 80% efficacy. Families without insurance face significant costs, with Abrysvo priced at $300-$350 and Beyfortus at $520.

The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation has proudly supported Super Shot in its mission since its launch in 1992, demonstrating a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for our community’s most vulnerable members.