Underserved Black and Latinx communities in Los Angeles face many barriers of access to the COVID-19 vaccine such as no internet access, no cars, and lack of information and resources. Our team developed CARE, a mobile medical pop-up system, as a way to provide welcoming support that brings the vaccine to spaces people already go to for work, play or daily needs. We are devoted to assisting communities that have yet to develop trustworthy relationships with their healthcare providers.
Our team began our concept development by volunteering with LA-based pop-ups Get Out The Shot LA (GOTS) and MyCovidMD. These pop-ups specialize in “heart-work” which is to deeply connect with the community and their issues to build trust with doctors and the vaccine. We went into the field, volunteering at Southgate, Compton, Riverside, and Downtown LA to discover what the community really needed. We created a "Draw Your Dream" exercise, where we visualized Liz from GOTS and Dr. Nana Afoh-Manin's from MyCovid MD's dream for vaccine equity. We discovered the fun and festive approach to vaccine pop-ups to make communities feel welcomed and cared for in a system that hasn't prioritized them.
The CARE brand is designed to be flexible, comforting, and accessible. This allows CARE to hold longevity as it adapts in the future to support other community needs. The brand is designed to partner with any medical service, such as Kedren Hospital, Get Out The Shot LA, or MyCOVID MD.
The interior of the van is designed to assist for a 5-minute unpacking/packing time to ensure we can reach every neighborhood that needs us in the Greater Los Angeles Area.
The CARE Kit is a free custom kit filled with post-vaccination care items. It is given to all who receive the vaccine at our mobile pop-up events. The kit includes a thermometer, a face mask, sanitizer, a cold compress, medicine, band aids and a CARE Kit flyer, available in English and Spanish.
The colors are not only festive and celebratory, but allows for volunteers to easily onboard and stay organized as they begin to learn how to screen people in. This system allows for ease of use as the van moves from location to location.
