By Kris Herndon
Stamford Health received a grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation to expand its ‘No Barriers’ Vaccination Equity Program.
Begun in mid-January, the ‘No Barriers’ program promotes equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine by reserving vaccination blocks for socially vulnerable groups.
The new, expanded version of the program will focus on door-to-door outreach in communities hard hit by COVID-19. That often means those with high vaccine hesitancy as well as inadequate access to the vaccine.
The in-person outreach, which is expected to begin this week, will aim to dispel misinformation about the vaccine, as well as educating the community about benefits of vaccination. Outreach workers will also assist individuals in locating clinics or vaccination sites.
Kathleen Silard, President and CEO of Stamford Health, said the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation’s grant will help Stamford Health make a measurable difference in those hard-hit communities.
Stamford Health, a non-profit hospital, has rapidly increased its vaccination efforts in recent weeks, opening a vaccine ‘super site’ in Stamford’s Harbor Point, and administering over 117,000 doses of the vaccine.
The new door-to-door effort will expand that effort further, targeting underserved communities who may be most at risk.
“This grant will allow us to continue the important work of growing vaccination efforts in our community with a focus on equitable distribution,” Silard said in a statement. “Thank you to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and to our many ‘No Barriers’ Program partners for helping the communities we are so proud to serve receive these life-saving vaccines.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Steven and Alexandra Cohen, both Greenwich residents, have granted Foundation support to a number of projects in aid of local communities struggling with the impact of COVID-19.
The Foundation’s mission is to support organizations that either help those in need, or solve complex problems. The Foundation also spearheads grassroots campaigns to encourage others to give.
“The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation is very proud to support Stamford Health in their expansive COVID-19 vaccination efforts,” said Cohen Foundation President Alexandra Cohen.
She added: “We are happy to partner with Stamford Hospital on their ‘No Barriers’ vaccine initiative to help close the vaccination gap for the members of our community who the pandemic has already hit the hardest and affected most. Since the pandemic began, we have dedicated our resources to helping our neighbors make it through this difficult time, focusing on hunger relief, healthcare, and job training. We want to make sure people can stay healthy and protected, have meals on the table, and have a job to go back to.”
Known for its person-centered approach to care, Stamford Hospital is the only hospital in Fairfield County, CT to receive a grade of A from The Leapfrog Group, an independent watchdog organization for protecting patient safety. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Stamford Hospital as a High Performing Hospital. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has granted Stamford Hospital Magnet Status, which recognizes superior patient care with the highest level of safety, quality and patient satisfaction. Stamford Hospital is a Planetree Gold-Certified Person-Centered Hospital of Distinction, and one of only seven in the world to attain that distinction.
