Stanzel Family Foundation Is Newest Partner In Helping with COVID-19 Vaccine Registrations

The United Way of the Crossroads has partnered with nonprofits, churches, and service providers across their fivecounty service area to help community members who qualify for Phase 1A and 1B COVID-19 vaccines register for appointments. The United Way is teaming up with the Stanzel Family Foundation, Inc. (SFF) to extend the Vaccine Buddy Program to qualified residents in Schulenburg and Weimar.

While the COVID-19 vaccine is available to first responders, front line essential workers and the elderly, the process of simply finding area clinics, getting signed up for alerts, and moving quickly enough to secure an appointment has left many on the sidelines.

“I experienced frustration and anxiety trying to get my mom registered for the vaccine,” says Brooke Garcia, Executive Director of the United Way of the Crossroads, “and began worrying about those seniors who don’t have someone to help them. As a staff, we decided there had to be a way the United Way could help.”

Recognizing that they weren’t the only ones wanting to help, the United Way of the Crossroads reached out to its volunteer and service provider network and began pairing volunteers with buddies who could help them navigate the system. The Vaccine Buddy Program relies on service providers to help qualifying community members sign up with the United Way of the Crossroads, who then adds them to the vaccine wait list in Victoria. Once on the waitlist, individuals will be randomly selected and contacted by the Victoria County OEM for screening and to schedule their appointment. The United Way of the Crossroads and their partners will work together to secure transportation to the Victoria clinics, as needed.

SFF wants to be active partners in health and envision a community where each individual can pursue a healthy lifestyle through education, accessibility, and programs. Partnership in this initiative helps to achieve that mission. Melanie Ramirez, Program Director of the Stanzel Family Foundation says, “Attending the vaccine hub with my grandparents made me realize a need for Spanish translators. I then started to wonder if other hubs lacked translators. We need to come together now more than ever to help those who face a language barrier, have no internet access, or don’t have transportation. I joined this program to assist wherever I can.”

Churches, businesses and individuals are encouraged to contact Melanie Ramirez at (979) 743-9119x24 or melanie@stanzelmuseum.org or Jill Blucher at (361) 578-3561x361 or Jill@ unitedwaycrossroads.org to more about how to register their neighbors in need.