Bed-Stuy Neighbors Help 100s Of Seniors Find Vaccine Appointments

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — A neighbor network that started to help Bed-Stuy through the coronavirus pandemic is now working to get its most vulnerable residents vaccinated against the virus.

The mutual aid network, called Bed-Stuy Strong, has put hundreds of its more than 4,000 people to work in a new "Vax-Support channel," helping eligible neighbors who have trouble signing up for a vaccine slot make and get to their appointments.

So far, they've helped more than 250 neighbors get the vaccine.

"Our priority has been ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors — elderly and those with underlying health conditions — are vaccinated as quickly and with as little inconvenience as possible," volunteer Maddie Kidd told Patch.

The majority of the appointments made so far came from a partnership with SCO Family Service's vaccination site at Canarsie High School, which had hundreds of open spots over the course of two weekends in February aimed at residents in ZIP codes with low vaccination rates.

ZIP codes covering Bed-Stuy have been shown to have some of the lowest coronavirus vaccination rates in New York City, despite the neighborhood being one of 33 hard-hit areas health officials said they would target with vaccine distribution.

Kidd said volunteers found that many neighbors were having trouble figuring out the sign-up process, especially online scheduling platforms.

"Individuals reported spending hours of their days refreshing their webpage, hoping for the slight chance of an open slot," she said.

Disparities in vaccination rates have also been linked to a lack of trust in the healthcare system based on a history of discrimination and not knowing when or where appointments are being offered, Kidd added. The city, state and federal government have all launched efforts to address these inequities, though data shows they are far behind on correcting them.

To find neighbors who might need help, Bed-Stuy Strong used an "intake line" that it had set up for grocery requests and deliveries throughout the pandemic.

Their 238 volunteers have made more than 1,000 calls to Brooklynites who are eligible or might know someone who is, gathering information on in-take forms over the phone.

"Ultimately, we gathered [about] 300 eligible names and contacts willing and able to receive a vaccine," Kidd said.

Of those, 230 people were scheduled for an appointment at the high school.

Bed-Stuy Strong then helped those who needed it set up transportation to the site through services like Curb and Access-A-Ride. Volunteers met up with neighbors at the vaccine site to make sure everything went smoothly.

"We wanted to ensure a sturdy and reliable 'safety network,' given we were assisting those with accessibility concerns during winter months," she said.

The neighbor network is now turning its sights on additional vaccination sites and brainstorming how to find more eligible Brooklynites who need help.

Those who are interested and live in Bed-Stuy should text VACCINE to 917-810-2337 with the full name and number of the eligible neighbor or family member to receive a call back, according to Bed-Stuy Strong.

The network will do the best it can to help as many people as possible, Kidd said.

"The point we always try and emphasize with folks who ask who we are is: 'we are a group of neighbors helping neighbors,'" Kidd said. "We’re not a volunteer organization or separate non-profit entity; we’re simply individuals living in a community who are using our time, resources, skills, and care towards better supporting those living beside us."