Stories

Providence St. Mary secures the largest-ever grant for High Desert COVID-19 vaccination campaign 

Providence St. Mary Medical Center is significantly improving public health in the High Desert with a groundbreaking $1.2 million grant from the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health. This historic grant, the largest in our history, is dedicated to an innovative marketing campaign to educate High Desert communities about the critical importance of COVID-19 vaccinations.  

The initiative includes a user-friendly website, provided in English and Spanish, that simplifies scheduling vaccination appointments, reflecting our commitment to improving COVID-19 vaccine equity, especially for at-risk populations. 

Our Health, Our High Desert 

The campaign aims to bolster community resilience against COVID-19. By leveraging the substantial grant, Providence St. Mary created a multifaceted marketing strategy, including digital, print and community outreach efforts. The campaign’s powerful Our Health, Our High Desert video serves as a rallying call for community members to safeguard their health through vaccination. 

The campaign is designed to move High Desert residents from hesitance to confidence with tailored approaches to build trust. “We identified and addressed the barriers to getting vaccinated,” says Erica Phillips, manager of Community Health Investment at Providence St. Mary. “We worked with trusted community messengers, such as community centers, to get the word out. We held multiple COVID pop-up clinics that coupled access with education.” 

The results have been impressive. “To date, we’ve scheduled more than 6,000 vaccination appointments,” says Erica, “and we’ve reached nearly 70,000 community members with our community outreach efforts.” 

Transformative impact of philanthropy 

The positive impact on vaccination rates made possible by the grant highlights philanthropy’s pivotal role in transforming community well-being. “By investing in initiatives like the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, Providence St. Mary is fulfilling our promise to care for all, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” says Nicole Peterson Orr, chief philanthropy officer. “Philanthropy allows us to bridge gaps in health care equity and access, ensuring that every community member receives the care and support they need.”   

Visit ourhealthourhighdesert.com to see the campaign videos and schedule your COVID-19 vaccination.