CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, in collaboration with Merck & Co., announces its partners and recipients of Rapid Response Grants as part of its Vaccination Equity Initiative (VEI) to enhance HPV prevention efforts in underserved Georgia communities.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CHC: Creating Healthier Communities (CHC) is pleased to announce three community-based organizations joining CHC's Vaccination Equity Initiative (VEI) as partners & Rapid Response Grant recipients. The initiative, designed to combat barriers to cancer prevention in underserved Georgia communities around Macon, Augusta, and Savannah, supports community-based organizations working to reduce HPV-related cancer incidence rates and improve health equity in the region.
"The goal of these partnerships is to bridge the gap between communities and needed services so that reductions in cervical cancer rates can be achieved more equitably," said Valerie L. Rochester, CHC's Chief Health Equity Officer. "Education, early detection, and preventative measures like vaccination are critical to decrease cervical cancer rates. Community awareness and trust are the best ways to ensure that more Georgians have access to these interventions."
Cervical cancer, despite being largely preventable through methods including HPV vaccination, remains a serious health threat in Georgia. Georgia's HPV vaccination rate stands at just 62%, significantly below the CDC's target of 80%. CHC's grant-awardee partner organizations are:
- Grow Initiative GA Inc. (GIGA)
- The Association for Community Empowerment Solutions (ACESWorld)
- The Susan Jolley Awareness Program
These organizations will focus on building community trust, increasing education, awareness, and access to preventative measures for HPV-related cancer including vaccination, ultimately working to reducing cancer incidence rates.
In partnership with Merck & Co., CHC's Rapid Response Grants (ranging from $15,000 to $25,000) will support partner organizations as they implement strategies to enhance awareness, build community trust, and facilitate access to cervical cancer prevention measures. Demetrius Geiger, Program Manager at CHC added, "These community-driven programs are essential for achieving health equity and preventing HPV-related cancers in Georgia. By investing in trusted local organizations, we are making significant strides toward closing access gaps and saving lives through HPV prevention."
Interested parties can learn more about CHC's Vaccination Equity Initiative and its impact here.
Media Contact
Jordan Jennings, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, 571-429-4336, [email protected], chcimpact.org
SOURCE CHC: Creating Healthier Communities
Share this article