Social Capital Inc. Awarded $100,000 in CDC Funds

Social Capital Inc. (SCI) has been awarded $100,000 to fund outreach and education efforts focused specifically on building vaccine confidence among populations that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19. Made possible with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in partnership with Community Catalyst, the project aims to increase understanding of and trust about COVID-19 and influenza vaccines among adults at highest risk of infection and death from these illnesses.

The initiative comes amid a concerning rise in cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant and significant disparities in vaccination rates in historically underserved communities of color.

“Through this grant, SCI will be training a diverse group of community ambassadors to spread the word about the importance of getting vaccinated,” commended SCI President David Crowley. “We are eager to bring SCI’s focus on helping people leverage their social networks to address pressing social needs to the crucial issue of vaccine equity and access.”

Through this new Activating Social Capital for Vaccine Equity (ASCVE) project, SCI will be targeting several Boston area communities that have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19, including Chelsea, Dorchester, Lynn and Lawrence. The organization will also be conducting outreach to populations that have low vaccination rates in its hometown of Woburn.

The primary focus of the grant will be to train a diverse group of community members who can be influential in encouraging their peers to get vaccinated. There will be a particular focus on small business owners, faith leaders and other community members in position to be influential. A small stipend will be available for leaders trained through the program.

SCI will work in collaboration with the Hispanic American Institute on this project. They will be helping with outreach and training of Latinx business owners to participate in this initiative. Additional partners will be sought to host community based training sessions.

For more information about SCI and this project, visit https://socialcapitalinc.org. SCI will be hiring a full-time outreach coordinator for the project. For information about the position or the community ambassador trainings, contact David Crowley at dcrowley AT socialcapitalinc.org.

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About Social Capital Inc.:
SCI’s mission is to strengthen communities by connecting diverse individuals and organizations through civic engagement initiatives. SCI provides communities with skills and tools to engage individuals to make a difference, with a priority on promoting youth success and healthy, inclusive communities. Major program areas include: Youth Development, Volunteer Outreach & Engagement, Online Engagement, Community Building, and ongoing COVID-19 Response A lean professional staff combined with 22 dedicated AmeriCorps members and strong partners enables us to serve 20 Eastern Massachusetts communities and recruit thousands of volunteers each year.