Recently, the Kansas City VA Medical Center joined forces with the Veterans Community Project (VCP) to vaccinate Kansas City area Veterans in a rapidly changing vaccination landscape.
As our nation continues vaccination efforts and more and more people receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we further establish herd immunity. Every Veteran who receives a vaccination is a small victory. KCVA has vaccinated over 35% of registered Veterans in the metro and surrounding communities.
When the opportunity arose to partner with VCP for an off-campus vaccine clinic, Kansas City VA took their vaccine clinic on the road.
Pictured above, Army Veteran Charles prepares to receive the Pfizer vaccine from nurse and Army Veteran Mary Pittala.
Into the community to vaccinate Veterans
“We’re going to go into the community. We’re going to continue doing that. We’re going to meet our Veterans, their families and caregivers where they are,” said Paula Roychaudhuri, KCVA associate director. “We’re going to reach as many Veterans as possible, in any community location.”
Kansas City VA Medical Center COVID-19 vaccination staff took vaccines on the road, including to a Veterans tiny houses community.
Presently, all KC vaccine clinics are open to walk-ins to allow more flexibility. Over a dozen Veterans called to make a confirmed appointment for the Pfizer two-dose vaccine clinic. In the first two hours of the clinic, our vaccinators had administered more than two dozen vaccines to area Veterans and Veteran family members and caregivers.
Army Veteran Charles Leaper said that it was important to him to get vaccinated to benefit the community and so he could safely be around his family members, primarily his 92-year-old grandfather.
The combined efforts resulted in 42 more Veterans and family members vaccinated by the end of the clinic.
“It’s the little triumphs at this stage in national vaccination clinic efforts,” Roychaudhuri added. “Every additional vaccine dose we utilize brings us one step closer to the goal of establishing herd immunity and ending this pandemic.”
Veterans Community Project 49 tiny houses for homeless Veterans
“We have a very open-door policy,” said Army Veteran Vincent Morales, co-founder of the Veterans Community Project (VCP).
A handful of Veterans founded the VCP. The program serves homeless Veterans through relationships and a strong sense of community. The VCP community is an innovative village of 49 tiny houses for Veterans experiencing homelessness.
The VPC is at the south side of Kansas City and provides a strategic location for Veterans living in Eastern Kansas and Missouri who are interested in receiving a vaccine.
Vic Ziliani is a marketing specialist with the Kansas City VA Medical Center and a 20-year Marine Corps Veteran.
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