Health and wellness nonprofit hosts free vaccine clinic in Chestnut Hill

Posted 8/4/22

A free COVID vaccination clinic for ages 5 and up is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Germantown Avenue headquarters of Essential Community Connections.

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Health and wellness nonprofit hosts free vaccine clinic in Chestnut Hill

Posted

A free COVID vaccination clinic for ages 5 and up is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Germantown Avenue headquarters of Essential Community Connections, a nonprofit organization based in Chestnut Hill.

The clinic, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., is the first for the organization that opened at 8030 Germantown Avenue during the pandemic. 

“With cases and hospitalizations going up, I’m trying to implement more health and wellness programming to help more people get vaccinated,” said  Rashika West, a registered nurse who started the nonprofit, which focuses on community health, wellness and engagement. Next, “we’re going to try to offer vaccinations at nontraditional hours for people who are working.” 

The clinic will offer Moderna and Pfizer vaccines which will be provided by pharmacist Daniel Tang who operates several pharmacies in the city. 

West opened Essential Community Connections in January of 2021 in a space that was last occupied by a Chestnut Hill pharmacy. The organization has hosted classes in healthy cooking, CPR training, nursing certification, and Stop the Bleed instruction, which trains people in strategies to implement during bleeding emergencies.

The nonprofit also has offered its space to host book clubs, bridal showers, social gatherings, entrepreneurship training, and other community events at a location West describes as a “multipurpose community space” she hopes will help residents to connect not only with the organization, but with each other.