Our Fund Foundation Grant Helps the Diversity Unity Coalition to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy in the LGBTQ Community

When Our Fund Foundation, South Florida’s only LGBTQ community foundation, learned of the Humanity Project’s newly formed Diversity Unity Coalition’s effort to combat Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy within underrepresented communities, Our Fund pledged monies from its discretionary fund to support the grassroots initiative.

The Humanity Project established the Diversity Unity Coalition as one new method to promote its mission of “Equality For Each, Respect For All.” The coalition initially will focus its work on combating Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy through education outreach into underrepresented communities. In addition to LGBTQ-focused outreach, the campaign has made inroads into Black, Latino, Jewish Orthodox, Muslim and other underserved communities as well.

There is a noticeable hesitancy in LGBTQ communities of color, with members reluctant to get vaccinated because of longstanding mistrust in the medical establishment as evidenced in a recent New York Times article, “L.G.B.T.Q. People Face Increased Risks From Covid, but Many Don’t Want the Vaccine”.

Research has shown that sexual and gender minorities, and especially people of color, are more vulnerable to becoming infected with the coronavirus and also more likely to have underlying conditions that could make them severely ill if they were to contract Covid-19.

“Our Fund Foundation is proud to support the Diversity Unity Coalition, which seeks to combat health disparities and promote our common humanity,” said David Jobin, president and CEO, Our Fund Foundation.

Diversity Unity Coalition members represent South Florida’s diverse community and consist of compassionate individuals including Islamic scholars and church leaders. Members volunteer on their own accord but are affiliated with influential organization such as the African American Research Library, Jewish Federation of Broward; University of Miami; Barry University, Children’s Services Council of Broward County; Hollywood LGBTQ Council; Sickle Cell Disease Association of Broward County and Lighthouse Community Church.

“The Diversity Unity Coalition’s first virtual meeting was on January 23, right after Inauguration Day. There was finally a sense of hope and a belief that unity is achievable,” said Bob Knotts, founder and president of The Humanity Project. “Our members represent diverse political affiliations, religions, races and backgrounds, but we found common ground and had unanimous agreement to jointly focus our coalition’s resources initially on tackling vaccine hesitancy.”

Established in 2011, Our Fund Foundation has grown into the third largest LGBT foundation in the nation. As South Florida’s only LGBT community foundation, Our Fund promotes a culture of philanthropy by uniting donors with organizations advancing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties and supporting causes within the LGBT community. For more information on Our Fund Foundation visit our-fund.org or call 954-565-1090.