The Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA) is continuing to walk-the-walk when it comes to its belief that public housing authorities can make a substantial beyond simply providing affordable homes for low- and moderate-income households. Through its continued collaboration and partnership development, the FCRHA works to remove barriers for residents and connect them to supportive resources addressing a variety of opportunity areas – including their individual health and well-being. With COVID-19 – and now flu season – the FCRHA has been an active partner with local health organizations to help ensure the equitable availability of vaccinations throughout the county.
“Low- to moderate-income households served by various affordable housing programs often have barriers to finding the information, the time, or the transportation needed to obtain a COVID-19 vaccination,” said Tom Fleetwood, Director of the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development. “We are and have been working closely with the Fairfax County Health Department to find ways of bridging those gaps by bringing vaccination opportunities to our residents.”
Working with residents and the Health Department to identify areas of need, the partnership has yielded several targeted COVID-19 vaccination clinics at FCRHA properties – including at its senior housing communities, Robinson Square, Stonegate Village, and West Glade with planning in the works for a similar event at Crescent Apartments and the potential for more as opportunities are identified. It is hoped that each event can deliver 100 doses of the COVID-19 vaccination for those who are interested.
With COVID-19 efforts firmly in the spotlight, it can be easy to forget that flu season is also upon us. In addition to the FCRHA’s efforts to obtain easier access to the COVID-19 vaccine, several communities (including senior living communities Gum Springs Glen and Morris Glen) are working to partner with local pharmacies to hold flu shot clinics for residents as well.
“For years, the FCRHA has led the transformation of our concept of affordable housing from a ‘real estate' function to an essential component of human development,” said FCRHA Chairman Melissa McKenna. “The continued work of our staff demonstrates the real and significant impact we can have as housing authorities by looking beyond the concrete and steel of housing to see the opportunities for growth and success in so many areas that we can help deliver through collaborative partnerships.”
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