Community
Oakland’s Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church Receives Grant to Increase Immunity in Communities of Color
Conference of National Black Churches selects Mount Zion M.B.C., Oakland, CA., Pastor Michael W. Wallace, Senior Pastor, to participate in the CNBC’s and CVS “The Black Church Mobilizing African Americans to Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy project” as one of six churches in six cities across the nation.
Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman (Photo Courtesy CNBC)
Mrs. Jacqueline L. Burton, President (Photo Courtesy CNBC)
Pastor Michael W. Wallace, Mount Zion (Photo Courtesy MZMBC)
Atlanta, Ga
Conference of National Black Churches (CNBC) Chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson joins President Jacqueline L. Burton in conveying their appreciation for Pastor Michael W. Wallace and the historic Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Oakland, California, for their willingness to participate in CNBC’s “The Black Church Mobilizing African Americans to Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy project.”
The announcement was made last week in Atlanta, Ga.
As a part of this program, Mount Zion has been selected as a grantee for the CVS, Direct Relief Increasing Immunity in Communities of Color Grants program. CVS, Direct Relief has identified six cities in the nation and is partnering with CNBC to provide funding to their affiliated churches in those cities to support immunization efforts.
Funding will support existing, expanded, and new efforts related to COVID-19 testing/immunization and flu immunizations among Black and other racial and ethnic minority groups and education.
Pastor Wallace stated “ We are honored to be a recipient of this national grant and the partner with our national leaders Chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson and President Burton of the CNBC in conjunction with CVS in this tremendous nationwide effort to reach the most vulnerable and marginalized Black and Brown communities. As a congregation on the forefront in addressing the myriad of social issues plaguing our community including health disparities this opportunity will have a real measurable impact that is desperately needed.”
Mount Zion has been on a very purposeful mission of addressing social justice, public policy, public safety, criminal justice reform, gun violence, housing, health inequities and employment opportunities for people of Color.
Wallace further stated, “It is opportunities like this that help keep our mission of meeting the needs of our community who continually look to us for leadership, resources and support. This award and partnership will make a huge difference. The CNBC leadership and CVS are heroes for the Community, making sure that vital services and much needed resources are continually being made available”.
Mount Zion has recently hosted two vaccination clinics since the Delta variant began ravaging the unvaccinated to ensure the vaccine is more accessible to the community. Mount Zion has committed to hosting vaccine clinics every two weeks with the next clinic scheduled for September 11. “It is imperative that we continue to consistently make the vaccines available because the infection rate is soaring among the young people in our zip codes” said Wallace.
Mount Zion will be hosting virtual gatherings to address the hesitancy among Black People and doing a documentary addressing the Rationalization of The Hesitancy among Black People. “…Because education and the right information is critical for people to make informed decisions,” said Wallace.
Representing More Than 80% of African American Christians – 30,000 Congregations and 20,000,000 people nationwide, the CNBC comprises the national leadership of the eight largest historically Black denominations in America with a focus on four key areas: social justice/public policy, criminal justice reform, health (including supporting hunger initiatives) and education, especially the advancement of academic excellence for children in marginalized communities.
Its mission is to speak with a unified voice of Black religious bodies that seeks to improve the quality of life for African Americans as they seek to reach their full potential in American society.
This program recognize that Partnerships between local churches and health centers and free and charitable clinics that were developed or expanded through efforts related to COVID-19 and flu vaccination education can assist in building trust and education on the importance of receiving both COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
CVS Health is a diversified health services company with nearly 300,000 employees united around a common purpose of helping people on their path to better health. In an increasingly connected and digital world, they are meeting people wherever they are and changing health care to meet their needs.
For more information regarding upcoming clinics and forums please call Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church at 510-893-2932.
The Oakland Post’s coverage of local news in Alameda County is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support community newspapers across California.
