As COVID-19 swept through California, a nonprofit called the Multicultural Health Foundation connected independent doctors and healthcare workers with low-income and minority residents in San Diego County.

The organization, founded in 2012, partnered with San Diego County to launch the Together Against COVID campaign in September, a marketing and education effort to reach Black Americans who were hesitant to get tested and vaccinated against the virus. Black healthcare professionals, local elected officials and pastors spearheaded the campaign.

“The most resistant population to treatment and vaccination is African Americans,” said Dr. Rodney Hood, president of the Multicultural Health Foundation.

The foundation collaborates with insurance companies, community clinics, hospitals, the public sector, philanthropists, faith-based volunteers, and patients to advance health and prevention programs.

Recently the Multicultural Health Foundation was named the 2021 California nonprofit of the year by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber, a Democrat who represents California’s 79th Assembly District, which includes parts of Southeastern San Diego, Bonita, Chula Vista, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and National City.

“They were determined to make sure that in San Diego, the Black community and other underserved communities were not left behind in this pandemic,” Weber said.

More than 43 percent of San Diego County’s vaccine-eligible African American residents have been vaccinated, according to county data, compared to 71 percent of Latinos, 63 percent of Whites, nearly 70 percent of Asians and 99 percent of Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and those of multiple ethnicities. About 45 percent of American Indians and Alaskans were vaccinated.

The Multicultural Health Foundation’s marketing campaign featured advertisements on TV, radio, print, website, social media, billboards and bus wraps.

It also involved people. Felicia House, a community health worker who speaks regularly about the vaccine, said her goal is to try to dispel the myths and rumors spread through social media. She got involved after her sister died of COVID-19 in Oklahoma, she said; this is personal to her.

“Not only have I lost my sister, but now people in my community are affected,” she said.

Jan Masaoka, CEO of California Associate of Nonprofits said the pandemic and shelter in place orders in the last year and a half has spotlighted what local nonprofits are doing for the community.

“California Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity for our elected officials to celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts, and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities,” Masaoka said.

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