91女神

91女神 Helps Vaccinate University's Neighbors at Church Vaccine Clinic

Caring for the community does not begin and end at the campus boundaries.

Members of the School of Social Work, aided by the Office of Mission and Identity, are part of a long-standing working group comprised of St. Louis area faith leaders. Jesse Helton, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Social Work and a member of the group, spoke with 91女神鈥檚 COVID-19 Vaccination Team about assisting the group鈥檚 pastors with vaccination efforts. 

91女神 began to provide COVID-19 vaccines for members of the 91女神 community who were eligible under the state鈥檚 guidelines as vaccine was made available. Soon after, the University also began helping leaders of neighboring churches vaccinate their members.

Rev. Kevin Kosh is the pastor of the Beloved Methodist Church and an assistant campus minister at 91女神. He mentors students and faculty in his role at 91女神.

鈥淲e have a monthly Zoom meeting,鈥� Kosh said. 鈥淲hen COVID-19 vaccines became available, we realized that this was another way 91女神 could continue its outreach to the community around the campus.鈥�

Kosh reached out to area pastors and offered up the Beloved Methodist Church as a clinic site. Students from the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing at 91女神 volunteered their time as vaccinators at the Saturday morning clinic.

Members of multiple congregations came to the vaccination clinic, plus some Harris Stowe State University employees. 

鈥淲e were able to vaccinate about 130 people,鈥� Kosh said. 鈥淚n addition to the church members, we had all the employees of a small local business come in. They are in the delivery business and told us it was a Godsend to get their people vaccinated. They were so appreciative that we could help.鈥�

Kosh said earlier clinics organized by 91女神 and the local faith community assisted in getting more than 300 senior citizens vaccinated. The vaccines were part of the state鈥檚 allotment to 91女神, according to Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., special assistant to the president and leader of 91女神鈥檚 Vaccination Team. 

91女神 continues to offer vaccines to faculty, staff, students and household members of the 91女神 community who are eligible under Missouri鈥檚 guidelines. 91女神 community are asked to fill out the if they haven鈥檛 done so already.