Page 12 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 City hosts Second Annual Gay Pride flag raising To kick off Pride month, the City of Revere hosted the second annual Gay Pride fl ag raising outside of City Hall on Monday. Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito said love is love when sharing his coming out story. State Senator Joseph Boncore said he is happy to support this event. Mayor Brian Arrigo said the second annual Gay Pride fl ag raising is symbolic of the progress made in terms of being a welcoming, inclusive community. Former State Representative Kathi-Ann Reinstein said she was harassed for standing up for the LGBQT+ community during her time in offi ce. Revere city workers William Guinasso (at right, holding fl ag) and John Pino raised the Gay Pride fl ag during Monday’s second annual Gay Pride event at City Hall. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) Rabbi Lior Nevo said the Book of Genesis in the Torah references the fi rst rainbow in the Gay Pride fl ag. Thomas Amos said he didn’t come out until college, but his family accepted him. Staff Sgt. James Hill School students used sidewalk chalk to draw gay pride colors on City Hall stairs. John Pino raised the Gay Pride fl ag. Baker-Polito Admin. awards $3.2M for COVID-19 vaccine equity efforts O n June 8, the Department of Public Health (DPH) posted that the Baker-Polito Administration announced $3.2 million in grants and contracts to community-based organizations as part of the Massachusetts Vaccine Equity Initiative to increase awareness and access to the COVID-19 vaccine in the 20 cities and towns hardest hit by the pandemic. The awards are part of the Administration’s investment of $27.4 million in federal funds announced in March. The funds, which will be distributed to select community- and faithbased organizations statewide, aim to reduce barriers to vaccination for communities and populations most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Seven new communitybased organizations, community health centers, and behavioral health centers have been awarded $2.2 million to support vaccine navigation services and customized vaccine administration, building on $6.8 million previously awarded to 25 other organizations. The award recipients are as follows: • SSTAR Family Healthcare Center • North Shore Community Health Center • Boston Health Care for the Homeless • Latino Health Insurance Program • Caring Community Health Center • Community Health Connections • Holyoke Health Center These organizations will receive funding to link individuals to vaccination services in the community, and to directly administer vaccination to groups that are not reached by other outreach efforts. These include populations who might benefi t from oneon-one vaccination support, such as substance use disorder treatment facilities, places of worship, homeless encampments, food pantries/ congregate meal locations, LGBTQ+ community programs, shelters and day programs and immigrant assistance centers. “As we work to build trust in the vaccine across the Commonwealth, we also put our full trust in community-based organizations to know what their communities need, and how to best serve them,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel. “Our goal has always been to work toward equity by fi nding solutions that are right for each community.” An additional $1 million in funding is being administered by Health Resources in Action in partnership with DPH, building on $2.8 million in previously awarded funds. These funds are being awarded to 23 organizations (resulting in 61 total organizations through this funding) to support their eff orts to expand vaccine education and awareness that address the specifi c needs of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and other communities of color within the 20 prioritized communities. The newly funded organizations are as follows: • African Community Center of Lowell • Asian American Civic Association • Asociacion Ministerial Evangelica Del Area de Lawrence GRANTS | SEE Page 17
13 Publizr Home