What a Clinic Can Teach Us About Poverty and Community
Photo by Joshua Hoehne for Unsplash
“Just go do it! Get the vaccine.” Those are the exact words I texted my friend.
Now, I understand there are many reasons why folks are nervous about the COVID-19 vaccination. I do believe it’s a personal choice and I don’t spend time debating the controversial issue. Posting on social media the reasons you should, sharing articles, public photos of getting the shot, or pics of a vaccine record card in my hand... nope, that’s not me.
However, I really wanted my friend to get the vaccine. Selfish reasons in part — she spends a lot of time with my family and I want to feel safe. But I also want her to be protected against the virus because I care about her.
She’s usually pretty risk-averse. She considers every possibility before making a decision and sometimes becomes paralyzed by hard choices. As her appointment approached, she became increasingly nervous. Finally, a little frustrated, I sent my “just go do it!” text.
Scared and plenty apprehensive, she got her first shot. I checked in after her appointment. “How’d it go?” She said, “I couldn’t believe it! It went really well.”
She went on to talk about how the experience was not as scary as she thought it would be. The system our local health department set up was really organized. The number of volunteers there was unbelievable. The staff was so kind and caring. The huge auditorium was filled with people from all walks of life, like a collage of community.
I’m not trying to convince you to get vaccinated. But I do continue to think about my friend’s experience. Whether you’re getting vaccinated or not, consider what we can learn from this.
When we are all affected by a problem, we act. When we have resources, we set up systems that work. When we decide something is important enough, we make time for it.
What does this mean for poverty? What can the COVID-19 vaccine teach us about coming together as a community?
Poverty affects all of us. While it seems overwhelming to find a solution or know how you personally can make an impact, we have to remember that there is hope. There are solutions. Together we can tackle the enormous problem of poverty.
The next time you get the chance to make a difference, when an opportunity arises for you to help those who are experiencing the pain of poverty, think about what can happen when we:
Create systems that are resourced and effective.
Volunteer our time.
Are kind and caring.
Convene people from all walks of life.
What would happen if we “just go do it”?
Heather Cunningham is the National Training Director for Think Tank Inc. To learn more about Think Tank’s work, visit thinktank-inc.org.