BY: MUNA XASSAN
As Ontario enters phase 2, Black Creek Community Health Centre continues to strive to get everyone in the community vaccinated. Black Creek Community Health Centre has opened multiple pop-up clinics throughout the Humber-River Black Creek communities ensuring that Downsview residents get their vaccine.
From as early as April 17th, Black Creek Community Health Centre has been hosting vaccine clinics at convenient and well-known places in our community. BCCHC even partnered with Humber-River Hospital to do a door-to-door mobile clinic for San Romanoway buildings 5, 10, and 25 and successfully vaccinated 2000 residents within 2 days. The week prior to the mobile vaccination, volunteers and staff did door-knocking and information tables for about 4 days just to make sure that everyone in the building was aware and hopefully got vaccinated.
As a volunteer myself I’ve enjoyed working with BCCHC and the amazing healthcare workers. I started on April 12th as a door-knocker, it was hard work and we kept going back to the people who didn’t answer their doors maybe 3 or 4 times just to make sure that they were aware. We also had tables in the lobbies so that residents could sign-up when going in homes or out to make it convenient for them.
Black Creek Community Health Centre has successfully held 12 pop-up clinics in the last 12 weeks in schools, churches, community centers including Driftwood Community Recreation Centre, Falstaff Recreation Centre, C. W. Jefferys collegiate institute, Firgrove Public School, Westview Centennial Secondary School, Habitant Arena, Downsview Arena, J.C.A, !5 Tobermory, Grandravine Community Centre, Oakdale Community Centre, and St. Jane Frances Catholic School.
Among the BCCHC staff, Michelle Westin (Senior Analyst) and Cheryl Prescod (Executive Director) of Black Creek Community Health Centre are two women I’ve worked alongside and I can attest to the amazing leadership and organization that made vaccination-rollout success possible. Their commitment to ensuring that our community is vaccinated is appreciated and acknowledged. Black Creek Community Health Centre’s continuous contributions to our safety are to thank for the health of our community.