The City of Palm Springs, five well known local non-profits and RivCo Workforce Development announced Monday a new partnership to help Coachella Valley residents, particularly seniors and vulnerable communities, find COVID-19 vaccine appointments as part of a new program that starts today called, “Vaccine Buddies.”
Last January, numerous non-profits in the desert concluded that many of their clients were facing unnecessary, life-threatening challenges trying to get a vaccine. Mayor Christy Holstege and Mayor pro tem Lisa Middleton formed a working group of community leaders with DAP Health, Jewish Family Services of the Desert, The Joslyn Center, The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, The Mizell Center, and RivCo Workforce Development to come up with a solution, which has developed into Vaccine Buddies.
It works this way: Each organization has recruited its own roster of tech-savvy volunteers, pairing them with clients who have been identified as needing assistance. The former then work with the latter to procure valuable vaccine appointments at one of the various locations set up for this purpose around the Coachella Valley.
Any individual who is eligible for the vaccine – but has so far been unable procure an appointment due to health or technology barriers is urged to call one of the numbers below, with volunteers standing by Monday – Friday.
DAP Heath: (760) 992-0408
Jewish Family Services of the Desert: (760) 325-4088, ext. 200
The Joslyn Center (55+): (760) 340-3220
The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert: (760) 416-7790
The Mizell Center (55+): (760) 323-5689
In addition, Spanish speakers can receive assistance by calling Jewish Family Services or Mizell center.
“If the last year of this worldwide pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that we all must work together toward a common goal to ensure the greater good,” said Mayor Christy Holstege. “It’s been gratifying and inspiring to see local non-profit organizations join forces to provide much-needed aid to those of us who are most vulnerable.”
For more information about the program, visit palmspringsca.gov/vaccinebuddies.
