Events

Residents in Halifax, Northampton, and Warren Counties will soon receive local support for preparing to make decisions about the COVID-19 vaccine. The Gregory B. Davis Foundation (GBDF) in partnership with the Roanoke Valley Breast Cancer Coalition (RVBCC) was recently awarded a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation (CDCF) to assist our community with information to build vaccine confidence. The local community partnership will develop a multi-media communication campaign to explain the COVID-19 vaccine and the distribution process for our residents including neighbors, friends, and family in the surrounding area. The project will focus on using culturally appropriate messaging through various media markets including news releases, flyers, promotional materials, radio and social media outlets. The project will also rely on trusted professionals from the community such as Lay Health Advisors in addressing myths and helping people make sound informed decisions. Communication will encourage people to learn all they can about the COVID-19 vaccine to feel more confident in their decision about taking the vaccination. Vaccine Kits will be given to people to offer them assistance in getting the vaccine. Vaccine Kits will consist of bags with contents which will be useful for getting information and to take to sites when getting vaccines to include items such as local schedules for vaccine dissemination; COVID-19 fact sheets; face masks; snacks; stickers to wear after receiving vaccine, etc. Lay Health Advisors and partners will have bags to distribute in locations where access to media is limited and high traffic locations to also include trailer parks, housing complexes, food distribution locations, and key community pop-up events. Plans also include having media presentations with local health professionals who will take questions and announce schedules and access points for getting the vaccine. The Planning and Implementation Team for the project includes Belinda Jones-Hill, Project Coordinator; Patricia Peele, Outreach and Education Specialist with Rural Health Group; Project Evaluator, Niasha Fray, and a Social Media Specialist, Terrence Brown. GBDF’s representatives include Edna Davis-Brown and Brenda D. Bracey, overall programmatic and financial/administrative support. Lay Health Advisors representing RHG and Vidant North Community Outreach include Sheila Ward, Brenda Alston and Carolyn Purnell from Roanoke Rapids; Pauline Deloatch from Northampton County; Norma Hedgepeth from southern Halifax County; Deborah Morrison, Hertford County; Tonya Hicks, Weldon; Renee Clark, Nash & Halifax Counties; Elvelon Mason and Margaret Clayton, Warren County. For more information, please email gbdf@gbdf.org . Also, visit www.gbdf.org and the CDC Foundation at www.cdcfoundation.org .