By Paula Penebaker
Paula Penebaker is a writer at CMRignite, a strategic marketing agency and a partner of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “We Can Do This” COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.
Partnerships are powerful. Time and time again, they have yielded immeasurable goodwill and great financial support.
Just look at the partnership between 100 Black Men (The 100) and the “We Can Do This” campaign. Through collaboration, they have provided education on COVID-19 and promoted vaccines to control infections. Below are some of the outstanding results of this partnership:
1. Vaccine Drives: The 100 held 14 vaccine drives across the South in San Antonio; Savannah and North Metro, Georgia; Montgomery Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Jacksonville, Florida. The drives resulted in 620 vaccinations.
2. Public Service Announcements: The 100 produced four public service announcements that promoted vaccines for youth and adults. The videos were posted on The 100’s national social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on the social media platforms of participating chapters. The total reach was 351,647 views.
3. Webinar: In conjunction with Morehouse School of Medicine, The 100 live streamed a webinar on Facebook and YouTube to discuss COVID misconceptions and youth vaccination guidelines. The total reach of the webinar was 52,380 views.
4. Virtual Town Hall: The 100 held virtual town hall meetings to encourage the Black population to get COVID vaccines. The total reach was 320,500 views. The meetings were recorded and disseminated on Kirkland’s Korner, a national podcast.
5. Partnerships within Partnerships: To maximize reach, The 100 partnered with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kiwanis Club, Methodist Healthcare Foundations and other organizations.
6. Facebook Live: A collaboration between The 100 and Russ Parr, a TV and radio personality, was featured on the “Stay Well, Stay Connected” Facebook Live. Parr and Dr. Eric D. Griggs, who serves as health and wellness chair for 100 Black Men, talked about their concerns about the convergence of COVID and influenza this winter as well as the impact of COVID in the Black community.
Impactful collaborations work well at defining the problem, planning strategically with others, surveying collective solutions, and implementing changes.