SAN JOSE, Calif., May 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unity Care, a San Jose-based nonprofit organization that provides safe, stable housing and supportive services for transition-age foster youth with a focus on communities of color, announced an upcoming Town Hall on June 16 at 5.30 p.m. PST, held in partnership with several organizations: The California Alliance, Walden Family Services, the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, Roots Community Health Care, and Vision y Compromiso. These organizations have been selected to spearhead a state-wide effort encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations and spreading awareness of the long-term mental and community impacts of the virus, particularly among Black and Latinx communities.
The Town Hall is a culmination of an 8-week campaign aimed at sharing information about how the vaccine must be part of a holistic wellness program in the post-pandemic era, and the third event of its kind. The second, held in March of 2021, drew over 1000 attendees. Attendees will be able to choose from two tracks – one in English and one in Spanish. Panel discussions will focus on the intersection between mental health and spirituality, and the impact of nutrition and exercise on mental health, particularly amongst youth and emerging adults.
These town hall events are a component of Unity Care’s Covid-19 Black initiative, launched in 2020 in partnership with the Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Covid-19 Black strives to eliminate the spread of Covid-19 and improve overall health outcomes in the African Ancestry community.
“Systemic health and social inequities were contributing to health challenges for Black and Latinx communities long before the pandemic began, and these challenges were exacerbated as the virus devastated their communities,” said André Chapman, Founder and CEO of Unity Care. “With our COVID-19 Black intiative and upcoming Town Hall, we’re taking an offensive stance against the legacy of discrimination that has given rise to those inequalities, by sharing critical information in a public setting.”
Attacks against people of African ancestry throughout history have created huge disparities in health, housing, education, employment and the legal system in the U.S., resulting in poor health outcomes and poor overall well-being among members of the communities of color. As such, Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact, killing more than 142,000 African Americans nationwide – a rate 3.7 times higher than white people. The resulting trauma is taking a toll, impacting the physical and mental health of foster youth.
“Through our partnership with organizations throughout California, we’re helping people within underserved communities of color – especially the foster youth within these communities – gain access to the resources and tools they need to live healthy and productive lives,” Chapman said.
Visit covid19black.org for more information about the Town Hall on June 16.
About the Unity Care Group
Founded in 1993, we transform the lives of young people in and emerging from foster care by providing stable housing, caring connections, and life skills that build a foundation to achieve their potential. Unity Care provides supportive housing in nine Northern California counties, delivering culturally proficient and trauma-informed services centered on Unity Care’s “5 Pillars of Success” – HOUSING, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, WELL-BEING, and UNCONDITIONAL CARE. Unity Care is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA). To learn more about Unity Care visit www.unitycare.org.
Media Contact:
Rachel Willingham
(425) 270-9265
rwillingham@unitycare.org
