Key Takeaways
Nearly nine in 10 deaths from COVID are among people 65 and over, and 70-85% of seasonal flu-related deaths occur in older adults, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With $50 million in federal funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, NCOA has granted funding and technical assistance to hundreds of diverse community-based organizations.
The following organizations are using the funding to conduct tailored outreach, host vaccine clinics, and offer services many older adults need to get vaccinated.
While lifesaving vaccines are available, research shows COVID vaccine uptake has slowed among older adults. To help promote COVID and flu vaccinations, NCOA received $50 million in federal funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living to enlist its national network of senior centers and community-based organizations. The goal: Make it as easy as possible for older adults and people with disabilities to get their shots and protect their health.
"The grantees serve diverse racial and ethnic populations in both metropolitan and rural areas, helping us ensure that no one is left behind," said NCOA President and CEO Ramsey Alwin in a Jan. 26 press release.
The community-based organizations helping older adults get vaccinated
The following community-based organizations have received grants to focus on specific hard-to-reach populations:
| Community-based organization | Location | Tier* |
| Senior Citizens Services, Inc. dba Via Health, Fitness and Enrichment Center | AL | 1 |
| Southern Alabama AHEC | AL | 2 |
| Banner Health Foundation | AZ | 1 |
| Abrazar, Inc. | CA | 1 |
| Alma Family Services | CA | 1 |
| Bay Area Community Health | CA | 1 |
| Chinatown Service Center | CA | 2 |
| Dolores Huerta Foundation | CA | 2 |
| El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center (El Sol) | CA | 2 |
| Family and Child Empowerment Services - San Francisco (FACES - SF) | CA | 1 |
| FIRM, Inc (Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries) | CA | 1 |
| Healy Senior Center | CA | 1 |
| Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley | CA | 1 |
| Los Angeles LGBT Center | CA | 1 |
| Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula | CA | 1 |
| Meals on Wheels, Greater San Diego, Inc., dba Meals on Wheels San Diego County | CA | 1 |
| Mercy Health | CA | 1 |
| Mexican American Opportunity Foundation | CA | 2 |
| One in Long Beach, Inc., dba The LGBTQ Center Long Beach | CA | 1 |
| ONEgeneration | CA | 1 |
| San Ysidro Health | CA | 2 |
| Senior Coastsiders, Inc. | CA | 1 |
| St. Barnabas Senior Center of Los Angeles | CA | 1 |
| United American Indian Involvement, Inc. | CA | 2 |
| Vision y Compromiso | CA | 1 |
| YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles | CA | 1 |
| Arapahoe County Public Health | CO | 1 |
| Immunize Colorado | CO | 1 |
| Jefferson Center for Mental Health | CO | 1 |
| La Raza Services, Inc. dba Servicios de La Raza | CO | 2 |
| Nine Health Services, dba 365 Health | CO | 2 |
| Baldwin Senior Center - Town of Stratford CT | CT | 1 |
| East Shore District Health Dept. | CT | 1 |
| Town of Newington Senior and Disabled Center | CT | 1 |
| ASPIRA Association, Inc. | DC | 2 |
| Capitol Hill Village | DC | 1 |
| National Alliance for Hispanic Health | DC | 2 |
| Vida Senior Centers | DC | 1 |
| Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention | FL | 1 |
| Metropolitan Charities, Inc., dba Metro Inclusive Health (METRO) | FL | 1 |
| National Coalition of 100 Black Women-Central Florida | FL | 2 |
| Osceola Council on Aging | FL | 1 |
| Senior Friendship Centers | FL | 1 |
| Tampa General Hospital and GRACE Community Medical Center | FL | 1 |
| Chromatic Black Collective Inc. | GA | 2 |
| Project Vision Hawaii | HI | 2 |
| Horizons, A Famiily Service Alliance | IA | 1 |
| Alivio Medical Center | IL | 1 |
| Asian Health Coalition | IL | 1 |
| Family Christian Health Center | IL | 1 |
| Franklin County Senior Services | IL | 1 |
| Latino Alzheimer's and Memory Disorders Alliance | IL | 1 |
| Lifescape Community Services | IL | 1 |
| Pathlights | IL | 1 |
| Butler County Department on Aging | KS | 1 |
| Thrive Allen County | KS | 2 |
| Cenla Community Action Committee, Inc. | LA | 1 |
| Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center | LA | 1 |
| St. Martin Council on Aging | LA | 1 |
| St. Vincent De Paul Archdiocesan Council of New Orleans | LA | 1 |
| Berkshire Regional Planning Commission | MA | 1 |
| City of Fitchburg Health Department | MA | 1 |
| Community Health Connections Inc. | MA | 1 |
| Council on Aging and Senior Center, Lawrence, MA | MA | 1 |
| Salem Health Department | MA | 1 |
| Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, Inc. | MA | 1 |
| Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, Inc. (CCACC) | MD | 1 |
| Easterseals DC MD VA | MD | 1 |
| Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. | MD | 2 |
| Little Falls Village INC | MD | 1 |
| Rockville Senior Center | MD | 1 |
| Maine Health d/b/a Mid Coast Hospital | ME | 1 |
| Gay Elders of Metro Detroit aka Michigan | MI | 1 |
| Henry Ford Health/Greenfield Health Systems | MI | 1 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan - Community Health Services | MI | 1 |
| CAPI USA | MN | 1 |
| Duluth Aging Support | MN | 1 |
| City of Independence Health and Animal Services | MO | 1 |
| Clay County Public Health Center | MO | 1 |
| Heart of America Indian Center d/ba/ Kansas City Indian Center | MO | 1 |
| Kansas City Shepherds Center | MO | 1 |
| Mattie Rhodes Center | MO | 1 |
| The Community Clinic of Southwest Missouri | MO | 1 |
| The Kansas City Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry | MO | 1 |
| Village to Village Network | MO | 1 |
| St. John's Lutheran Ministries dba St. John's United | MT | 1 |
| Appalachian State University | NC | 2 |
| East Carolina University | NC | 1 |
| Macon County Senior Services | NC | 1 |
| New Life Connection | NC | 1 |
| The Life Center of Davidson County | NC | 1 |
| Wilson County Senior Activity Center | NC | 1 |
| WNC Health Network | NC | 2 |
| Community Action Partnership of Strafford County | NH | 1 |
| Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton | NJ | 1 |
| Catholic Family & Community Services | NJ | 2 |
| Hamilton Township Division of Health | NJ | 1 |
| HOPES Community Action Partnership Inc. | NJ | 1 |
| Iris House A Center for Women Living with HIV, Inc. | NJ | 1 |
| Princeton Senior Resources Center | NJ | 1 |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | NJ | 2 |
| City of Albuquerque | NM | 1 |
| Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada | NV | 2 |
| Immunize Nevada | NV | 2 |
| Nathan Adelson Hospice | NV | 2 |
| Nevada Senior Services Inc | NV | 1 |
| Catholic Charities of Long Island | NY | 1 |
| Catholic Charities of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse NY (dba Catholic Charities of Ononda... | NY | 1 |
| Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) | NY | 1 |
| Council of People's Organization, Inc. | NY | 1 |
| Find Aid for the Aged, Inc. d.b.a. Project FIND | NY | 1 |
| Fund for Public Health in New York City | NY | 2 |
| India Home | NY | 1 |
| Lifespan of Greater Rochester | NY | 1 |
| Mill Neck Services | NY | 1 |
| Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation | NY | 2 |
| Public Health Solutions | NY | 2 |
| SAGE, Adovocacy and Services for LGBTQ Elders | NY | 1 |
| Sunnyside Community Services Inc. | NY | 1 |
| Sunset Park Health Council, Inc dba Family Health Centers at NYU Langone | NY | 1 |
| The Center for Popular Democracy | NY | 2 |
| Asian Services in Action, Inc. | OH | 2 |
| Community Action Committee of Pike County | OH | 1 |
| Famicos Foundation | OH | 1 |
| O'Neill Senior Center, Inc. | OH | 1 |
| Variety Care Inc. | OK | 1 |
| AGE+US dba AGE+ | OR | 2 |
| Catholic Charities of Oregon | OR | 1 |
| Community for Positive Aging (CFPA) | OR | 1 |
| One Community Health | OR | 2 |
| ACLAMO | PA | 1 |
| Caring People Alliance | PA | 1 |
| Jewish Family and Children's Services of Greater Philadelphia | PA | 1 |
| LECOM Senior Living Center | PA | 2 |
| Mazzoni Center | PA | 1 |
| Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association | PA | 2 |
| Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County (Montco SAAC) | PA | 1 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | PA | 1 |
| Young Men and Women's Hebrew Association & Irene Kaufmann Center | PA | 1 |
| WAVES AHEAD CORP. | PR | 1 |
| Center for Southeast Asians | RI | 1 |
| Clemson University | SC | 2 |
| Senior Solutions | SC | 1 |
| South Carolina Association of Community Action Partnerships | SC | 2 |
| Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee Office on Aging | TN | 1 |
| Senior Citizens, Inc. dba FiftyForward | TN | 1 |
| Tennessee Justice Center | TN | 1 |
| The Nashville Food Project | TN | 1 |
| Asian American Health Coalition of the Greater Houston Area dba HOPE | TX | 1 |
| Brownwood-Brown County Health Department | TX | 1 |
| Dallas County, a political subdivision of the state of Texas, on behalf of Dallas County Health & Human Services | TX | 1 |
| Lower Rio Grande Valley Community Health Management Corporation, Inc. dba El Milagro Clinic | TX | 1 |
| Madonna Center, Inc. | TX | 1 |
| Proyecto Juan Diego Inc | TX | 1 |
| Silver Sage | TX | 1 |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | TX | 1 |
| The Visiting Nurse Association of Texas (VNA) | TX | 1 |
| Young Women's Christian Association of San Antonio | TX | 1 |
| Summit County Health Department | UT | 1 |
| Alexandria Health Department | VA | 1 |
| Boat People SOS | VA | 2 |
| Indian American Community Services (IACS) | WA | 1 |
| International Community Health Services | WA | 1 |
| Korean Women's Association | WA | 1 |
| Mercy Housing Northwest | WA | 1 |
| National Asian Pacific Center on Aging | WA | 2 |
| Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington | WA | 2 |
| Public Health Seattle & King County | WA | 1 |
| Sound Generations | WA | 1 |
| Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department | WA | 1 |
| City of Sheboygan - Senior Services | WI | 1 |
| Hmong American Friendship Association | WI | 1 |
| Indianhead Community Action Agency | WI | 2 |
| N.E.W. Community Clinic | WI | 1 |
| Oneida County Health Department | WI | 1 |
| Pointters Community Initiatives | WI | 1 |
| Rebalanced Life Wellness Association | WI | 1 |
| SWCAP | WI | 1 |
| West Allis Senior Center | WI | 1 |
| McDowell County Commission on Aging | WV | 1 |
*Tier 1 Awards, also known as Community Action Grants, will support specific county, city, or other jurisdictional locales for a targeted approach to vaccination efforts.
Tier 2 Awards, also known as Regional Collaborative Grants, will support statewide/territory coverage, regional (e.g., multiple counties), or across state lines.
Vaccine success story ahead: Alma Family Services
“Thank you for this program...,” said Maria Aria, 69. "It’s great, because it motivates us to come.”
Ms. Aria is among the first beneficiaries of NCOA’s Vaccine Uptake Initiative. Along with dozens of others, she attended an event organized by Alma Family Services in East LA on Feb. 24 and reports that her shot “didn’t hurt!”
"We are greatful for the dedicated Alma staff and volunteers, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the National Council on Aging for the amazing support to our first East LA COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic of 2023," the organization said in Feb. 27 post on Facebook. "We look forward to continue this partnership towards connecting individuals of all ages to tangible preventive resources."
This COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Uptake Initiative for Older Adults and People with Disabilities Notice of Funding Opportunity (HHS-2023-ACL-AOA-HDRC-0043) is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $50 million with 100% funding by ACL/HHS. The content is that of the author(s) and does not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. government.
