Community

SAN FRANCISCO’S MOBILE VACCINATION UNIT TO VACCINATE UP TO 1,000 SENIORS IN CHINATOWN SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES

The City’s mobile vaccination units ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for
vulnerable populations. Next week, the City will deploy a mobile vaccination team to
Chinatown’s largest senior living facility, Ping Yuen, in an effort to boost vaccination rates for
San Franciscans 65 and older.

Published

6 years ago

March 26, 2021

Kiki

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed, the Department of Public Health, and the
COVID Command Center (CCC) today announced the City will vaccinate up to 1,000 seniors
and eligible community members at Chinatown’s largest affordable family housing facility, Ping
Yuen, and other housing facilities in the next two weeks. The two-day event at Ping Yuen on
Friday, April 2 and Friday, April 9, is aimed to increase the vaccination rate for seniors in
Chinatown and is part of the City’s broader mobile vaccination efforts to reach communities that
have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Since its launch in mid-February, the City’s mobile vaccination program has administered
approximately 2,000-3,000 vaccines to residents in the Bayview, Tenderloin, Excelsior, Mission,
Chinatown, and Western Addition. DPH and CCC have more than 30 mobile vaccination events
planned in the next three weeks and are working closely with community partners to provide
referrals for appointments to priority populations.
“From the very beginning, our vaccine distribution has been focused on reaching our
communities that have been hit hardest,” says Mayor Breed. “We know that means meeting
people where they are and making vaccines not only available, but also easy to access. Our
community clinics and mobile vaccination teams are a critical part of that effort.”
San Francisco is committed to an equitable vaccination strategy, with a specific focus on
reaching populations that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. To that end, the
San Francisco Department of Public Health has been focused on reaching communities that have
been hard-hit by the pandemic. San Francisco is implementing strategies to reach the most
vulnerable populations where they are, including mobile vaccination teams. In addition to mobile
vaccination teams, San Francisco has located high-volume sites and neighborhood vaccine
access sites in areas that have carried the burden of the virus.

In partnership with community-based organizations and health care providers, San Francisco’s
mobile vaccination teams bring COVID-19 vaccine directly to people and neighborhoods with
limited access to healthcare providers or pharmacies. Specifically, the mobile vaccination teams serve homebound adults, senior living facilities, people served by behavioral health programs,
and people experiencing homelessness in high-risk congregate living facilities. Recently, the
City expanded vaccine eligibility to include people living in SROs, considered high-risk
congregate settings. Over the past several months, COVID Command Center and Department of
Public Health coordinated a series of mobile vaccination pilot programs to test strategies for
reaching SRO residents so that the City can scale up its efforts when increased vaccine supply
allows.

San Francisco has made good progress vaccination people 65 and older, with 80% of people 65
and older having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, DPH’s focus on
racial equity in vaccine distribution has been successful. A higher proportion of the administered vaccinations have gone to people of color than the total citywide vaccinations.

Nearly 40% of the DPH vaccine allocation has gone to the Asian population compared with 32%
of citywide vaccinations, and 25% of the DPH vaccine allocation has gone to the Latinx
population compared with 11% of citywide vaccinations.

Additionally, as a result of San Francisco’s efforts to meet people where they are and bring
vaccine resources to the neighborhoods that have been hardest-hit by COVID-19, the
neighborhoods with the highest vaccination rates for seniors 65 and older are the Bayview
Hunters Point, Western Addition, Portola, Mission, and Treasure Island. San Francisco continues
to address disparities in vaccination rates. Given that 65% of seniors in Chinatown have been
vaccinated, DPH and COVID Command Center are deploying mobile vaccine resources to the
Ping Yuen senior living facility and other housing facilities to help address that disparity and
increase vaccination rates in Chinatown.

“A legacy of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Department of Public Health has a strong network of
community clinics and long-standing relationships with community-based organizations as well
as robust integration of care into SROs and other supportive housing,” says Director of Health
Dr. Grant Colfax. “We’ve been using this mobile care model for many years to serve vulnerable
populations and now we are applying these practices to administering the COVID-19 vaccines. I
recently had the opportunity to see a mobile vaccination unit in action at NextDoor, a shelter
serving people experiencing homelessness, and it was wonderful to see the relief on people’s
faces when they got their vaccine.”

Mobile Vaccination Efforts
Yesterday, March 25, the City partnered with GLIDE to administer 100 vaccines as part of a
pilot, which will eventually scale up to a bi-weekly event with the goal of administering 1,000
vaccines per week. The event at GLIDE is a partnership with the City, University of California,
San Francisco’s Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Life Sciences Cares-Bay Area,
and San Francisco Community Health Center. The San Francisco Community Health Center is a
beneficiary of DPH and San Francisco Public Health Foundation’s $5.28 million grant program
to provide culturally responsive services to neighborhoods and populations most impacted by
COVID-19 through outreach, linkage to testing and vaccine, contact investigation, and isolation
and quarantine services.

Additionally, the City will host a series of mobile vaccination events on Treasure Island for
eligible Treasure Island residents on March 27, April 3 and April 10 at Ship Shape Community
Center (850 Avenue I) from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The site is primarily by appointment with very
limited drop-in capacity. The mobile site is being run by DPH and CCC in partnership with the
Fire Department, the Treasure Island Development Authority, and One Treasure Island, with
outreach support from the Latino Taskforce.

To serve people with disabilities, the City is partnering with the Mayor’s Office on Disability
and other community partners on several mobile vaccination events. This Saturday, March 27
and Sunday, March 28 the University of the Pacific Dental School will vaccinate 300 people
with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Starting Friday, April 2, and recurring for four to
six weeks, Lighthouse for the Blind will administer 200 doses a day to people with disabilities.
The City has set up a call center to help people with disabilities who are unable to easily access
the internet or schedule an appointment through their provider access appointments. The number
is (628) 652-2700.

The goal of the City’s vaccination strategy is to make receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as
convenient and comfortable for as many people as possible, particularly in those neighborhoods
disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In partnership with the healthcare providers in San
Francisco, the City is facilitating the quick and efficient delivery of vaccines through high volume vaccine sites, neighborhood vaccine access sites, community clinics, pharmacy
partnerships, and mobile vaccination teams.

San Francisco now has the capacity to vaccinate 20,000 people per day, double the original
target to vaccinate 10,000 daily. Despite this significant capacity, supply constraints continue to
limit the City from operating at full capacity and is the biggest barrier to vaccinating people as
quickly as possible.

People who are eligible to be vaccinated can sign-up for an appointment at:
SF.gov/getvaccinated.

“Vaccine availability and accessibility has been challenging for Chinatown given our high
volume of seniors, frontline workers, transit users and overcrowded families living in SROs. We
welcome this place-based vax for Ping Yuen’s seniors—bringing it to public housing and,
hopefully, SRO’s will significantly amplify the effort to get our San Francisco communities
protected against COVID,” stated Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director of the Chinatown
Community Development Center.

“Today marks an incredible milestone in our COVID-19 response efforts,” stated San Francisco
Community Health Center CEO Lance Toma. “We are proud to work with so many partner
organizations on our City’s mobile vaccination efforts in the Tenderloin. We will work nonstop
to ensure that our most vulnerable residents are vaccinated ASAP. We will train and work with a
cadre of community ambassadors to eliminate as many barriers to ensure vaccine access is as
easy as possible.

“Life Science Cares, a nonprofit funded by companies in the biotech and life science industry in
the Bay Area, is pleased to support this cross-sector coalition to make it as easy as possible for
those living in the Tenderloin to receive the COVID vaccine,” said Lynn Seely, MD, a member
of the Life Science Cares-Bay Area Board of Managers.

“Today marks an incredible milestone in our COVID-19 response efforts,” said Lance Toma,
CEO of San Francisco Community Health Center. “We are proud to work with so many partner
organizations on our City’s mobile vaccination efforts in the Tenderloin. We will work nonstop
to ensure that our most vulnerable residents are vaccinated ASAP. We will train and work with a
cadre of community ambassadors to eliminate as many barriers to ensure vaccine access is as
easy as possible.”

“We know that the vaccine equity is one of the most urgent issues facing us right now. We know
that people experiencing homelessness want the opportunity to be vaccinated, but need vaccines
to be accessible. The UCSF BHHI is thrilled to take part in an amazing partnership to bring
vaccines to where people are, guided by those with lived expertise of homelessness,” says
Margot Kushel, MD. Professor of Medicine at UCSF and director of UCSF Benioff
Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

“There are significant challenges in providing access to COVID vaccinations to the housed and
unhoused residents of the Tenderloin. Bringing a weekly neighborhood vaccination site to the
Tenderloin is an absolute accomplishment. GLIDE is tremendously proud of our partnership
with the SFDPH, UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, Life Sciences Cares-Bay
Area, and San Francisco Community Health Center. Together we are reducing barriers to
vaccine access and serving some of the most marginalized people in the City,” said GLIDE
President and CEO Karen Hanrahan.

Kiki

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Community

Asm. Corey Jackson Announces Launch of 24-Hour Childcare in His District

Assemblymember Corey Jackson has secured $2 million in state funding for a proposed childcare special district in Moreno Valley and Perris. This funding aims to establish a system providing 24-hour, seven-day-a-week childcare, which would be California’s first special district focused solely on childcare. The initiative seeks to address the area’s designation as a “childcare desert” and high costs for working families. The funding will cover startup, planning, and formation costs for the district. Read more about the specifics of this groundbreaking initiative.

Published

6 days ago

September 28, 2026

Post News Group

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley). File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) has secured $2 million in state funding to launch a proposed childcare special district serving families in Moreno Valley and Perris, paving the way for a system designed to provide childcare 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Moreno Valley-Perris Childcare Special District would be the first special district in California focused specifically on childcare, according to Jackson’s office. The state funding will cover startup, planning, and formation costs and help the district meet requirements set by the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO.

The proposed district would coordinate a mixed-delivery childcare system that could include home-based and center-based care. The goal is to provide universal childcare for families who work overnight, early morning, or other nontraditional shifts.

Jackson’s office says Moreno Valley is a certified “childcare desert,” with licensed childcare spaces available for only 15% of children with working parents. Infant care in Moreno Valley averages $2,776 a month, or about 35.7% of median household income. In Perris, licensed infant care can cost more than 60% of an individual worker’s gross median earnings, according to the assemblymember’s office.

“Securing this $2 million in startup funding is a monumental victory for the working-class families of Moreno Valley and Perris who have been trapped in a childcare desert for far too long,” Jackson said.

The proposal follows Jackson’s unsuccessful effort to establish the district through Assembly Bill 2083. The legislation would have created the district as a dependent special district covering Moreno Valley, Perris and their spheres of influence, with Riverside LAFCO responsible for reviewing its formation and boundaries.

The new funding allows the district’s formation to move forward without requiring mandatory contributions from local school districts and other stakeholders, according to Jackson’s office. His spokesperson, Daniel Peeden, said Jackson hopes the district can be operating by 2028.

The proposal has faced questions from some local officials. Moreno Valley City Councilmember Ed Delgado, who is running against Jackson for the 60th Assembly District seat, said he supports affordable childcare but questioned how the proposed district would operate and how much it would ultimately cost.

“Basically, he didn’t have a plan. We didn’t see a plan,” Delgado said, adding that officials had questions about operating costs, insurance and eligibility.

“It’s going to take a lot more than $2 million to create a special district to provide affordable childcare,” Delgado said.

Delgado has suggested working with existing childcare centers to subsidize costs for local families rather than creating a new agency.

Jackson’s office says the program will lower barriers to “workforce participation” and reduce “affordability anxiety” for young families. This landmark District is poised to trigger a virtuous cycle of economic upward mobility and long-term regional prosperity in the 60th Assembly District, his office added.

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Black History

IN MEMORIAM: The Rev. Leon “Sonny” Clark, Longtime Orange County Pastor and Community Leader, Dies at 72

Rev. Leon William “Sonny” Clark, the longtime pastor of New Spirit Baptist Church in Santa Ana and a prominent faith and community leader in Orange County, passed away on September 9 at the age of 72. Born in Bennettsville, South Carolina, Clark was a U.S. Navy veteran who dedicated his life to service. He served various Southern California churches before leading New Spirit Baptist Church for over 22 years, extending his work into counseling, mentoring, and civic engagement, and supporting the African American community. To learn more about his life and contributions, read more.

Published

7 days ago

September 28, 2026

Post News Group

The Rev. Leon “Sonny” Clark. File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Rev. Leon William “Sonny” Clark, longtime pastor of New Spirit Baptist Church in Santa Ana and a respected faith and community leader in Orange County, died Sept. 9. He was 72.

Born Oct. 2, 1953, in Bennettsville, South Carolina, Clark was a U.S. Navy veteran who later built a life of service centered on family, faith, ministry, and community.

Clark began his formal ministry at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Altadena in 1978. After acknowledging his call to ministry in 1980, he preached his first sermon and went on to serve churches throughout Southern California, including Second Baptist Church in Riverside, Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Rubidoux, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Pomona, and Friendship Baptist Church in Yorba Linda.

In November 2003, Clark was called to lead New Spirit Baptist Church in Santa Ana, where he served as pastor for more than 22 years. His work extended beyond the pulpit through counseling, mentoring, civic engagement, and efforts to strengthen Orange County’s African American community.

Clark served on the Orange County Heritage Council and supported efforts to preserve and celebrate African American history and culture. He helped organize the Orange County Black History Parade and Unity Festival, served on the Interfaith Committee and the Orange County Transit Authority, and served as president of the Orange County Ministers Conference.

In 2024, the City of Santa Ana recognized Clark for his contributions to the community. He also received the Orange County Southern Baptist Association Hall of Faith Award and was previously honored as Pastor of the Year by the Orange County Heritage Council.

Clark is survived by his wife, Andrea Joyles Clark; six children, Shawn Williams, Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Kyla Coward, Joshua Clark, Marissa Clark and Ashley Clark; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; siblings; extended family; and the New Spirit Baptist Church congregation.

A wake will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, from 4 to 8 p.m. at New Spirit Baptist Church, 701 S. Sullivan St. in Santa Ana, with a remembrance service from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, Oct. 2, at Friendship Baptist Church, 17145 Bastanchury Road in Yorba Linda. Viewing begins at noon, followed by the service at 1 p.m.

Burial will take place Monday, Oct. 5, at 10:15 a.m. at Riverside National Cemetery.

Clark often shared a guiding principle that shaped his ministry: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

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Business

From Historic Memories to New Possibilities: Oakland Celebrates Coliseum 60

More than 75 people gathered at Youth UpRising in East Oakland on Friday, September 18, for Coliseum 60, an event marking six decades of sports, entertainment, employment, and community memories at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex. Held 60 years to the day after the Coliseum first opened, the celebration featured cultural performances and a mini-documentary highlighting its history. Speakers reflected on the venue’s significant role in the community and its future possibilities. Read more to learn about the individuals and stories honored during this special event.

Published

7 days ago

September 27, 2026

Post News Group

Quixote Atkins of VillageGIVE moderates a panel discussion at the Coliseum 60 celebration at Youth UpRising featuring Keith Brown, a member of IATSE Local 107; author, historian and former Black Panther Party member Tareka Lewis; and African American Sports and Entertainment Group President Ray Bobbitt.

By Carla Thomas

More than 75 people gathered at Youth UpRising in East Oakland on Friday, Sept. 18, for Coliseum 60, a celebration honoring six decades of sports, entertainment, employment and community memories connected to the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Complex.

Held 60 years to the day after the Coliseum opened, the event carried the theme, “One Community. One Legacy. One Future. Forward Together.”

The celebration opened with the national anthem performed by sisters Anese Jade, Amina Benjamin and Zaza Benjamin. Diamano Coura West African Dance Company contributed African dance and drumming, bringing movement, rhythm and cultural expression to the program.

A mini documentary highlighted the Coliseum’s sports history and its broader role as an entertainment destination. Archival material recalled performances by Prince and Tina Turner, along with memorable games featuring the Warriors, Oakland A’s and Raiders.

“The Coliseum 60 is about much more than celebrating a building or looking back at 60 years of history,” said event organizer Quixote Atkins of VillageGIVE.

“It’s about the people who made that history possible: the families, workers, athletes, artists, community leaders, fans and generations who gathered there and created memories together.”

A panel exploring that history featured author, historian and former Black Panther Party member Tareka Lewis; stagehand and union representative Keith Brown; and Ray Bobbitt, president of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group AASEG. Lewis described her family as fourth-generation Bay Area pioneers.

“My family and Black families who arrived even earlier helped build the Bay Area, grew businesses and established culture here,” Lewis said. “This should be taught in the public schools.”

Lewis recalled Oakland’s influence on sports, music and literature, from the Raiders’ beginnings at Laney College to stars such as The Pointer Sisters and Rickey Henderson who attended Oakland public schools. She also advocated for school museums, historical timelines, entrepreneurship training and investments benefiting corridors such as Bancroft Avenue and High Street.

Keith Brown, a member of Local 107 of the International Alliance of Theater and Stage Employees (IATSE) who began working at the Coliseum in 2011, remembered the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Ice Capades, baseball bat giveaways and Nelson Mandela’s 1990 appearance.

“The special events are amazing, but it’s the workers that make the memories real for everyone,” Brown said. “They make the magic happen at the Coliseum.”

The program recognized longtime workers, including beer-stand manager Robert Preston, who served for 40 years, and Kenyatta Gentry, who worked as a vendor for 24 years and used her earnings to purchase her first apartment. Union workers Jose Gonzales and Carmen Sandoval were also honored. Speakers emphasized that Coliseum employment provided generations of residents with union wages and benefits.

Dr. Denise Saddler, the superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) was also honored. Saddler shared her family’s history of working at the Coliseum.

District 7 Oakland City Councilmember Ken Houston discussed the complex ownership arrangements involving the city, county and private interests.

“This was the most complex deal of its kind in the country,” Houston said.

Prior to moving from the East Coast, Alameda County Supervisor and Coliseum Joint Powers Authority Chair Nate Miley recalled learning about Oakland through its three professional sports teams. As an elected official and public servant, Miley fought hard to keep the Golden State Warriors, Oakland As, and the Raiders, but he is hopeful for the future.

“The story is not over for the Coliseum,” Miley said. “We’re entering a new chapter.”

Bobbitt said the departure of three teams had once seemed unimaginable, but he maintained that Oakland’s future remains bright.

“Oakland is a cultural superpower worldwide,” Bobbitt said. “We’re going to write the future where we participate and drive the redevelopment.”

Bobbitt highlighted AASEG’s four-year partnership with Castlemont High School’s architecture program, which engages students in reimagining and creating redevelopment concepts for the Coliseum property. “The youth will always move us forward. They are the future.”

In closing, Atkins said, “September 18 is the celebration, but what we build together afterward is the legacy.”