Please join us!
COVID-19 vaccinations available Monday, Jan. 24, 4-7 pm at The Merc Co+op, 510 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
Vaccinations available, no appointment necessary, for age 5 and up (individuals under 18 must have guardian or parent present).
Event sponsored by El Centro and Swope Health. 
Join us 9 am – noon Saturday, Jan. 22, for free food giveaway at Swope Health West, 4835 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan., with partners Harvesters, El Centro and Livable Neighborhoods.
The event features Erica Andrade, Chief Program Officer at El Centro Inc.
To participate, join by Zoom: https://swopehealth.zoom.us/j/95970403008?pwd=dDZwL2orZS9iMkVaamVzVXFyTWRMdz09
Passcode: 653420
Erica Andrade is the proud daughter of an immigrant mother and has called Kansas City, Kansas, her home for more than 27 years.
Ms. Andrade joined El Centro, a nonprofit that serves the Latino community in Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in 2001. El Centro’s mission is to improve the lives of Latinos and others through educational, social and economic opportunities.
As Chief Program Officer, she supports El Centro’s community programs and implements strategies related to community education, health, economic empowerment, advocacy & engagement.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of Kansas and an Executive Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Missouri – Kansas City.
The event is part of Swope Health’s recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2021. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Details:
Noon, Wednesday Oct. 6
Erica Andrade on Race and Ethnicity in the LatinX community
https://swopehealth.zoom.us/j/95970403008?pwd=dDZwL2orZS9iMkVaamVzVXFyTWRMdz09
Passcode: 653420
Dr. Naiomi Jamal, Swope Health’s Chief Quality Officer, will participate in a special online Town Hall on COVID-19 starting at 6 pm Tuesday Aug. 10.
Dr. Naiomi Jamal
The town hall, sponsored by 107.3 FM, will be broadcast live on Facebook. Watch on the 107-3 FACEBOOK PAGE
The Town Hall, “The Real Deal on the COVID-19 Vaccine,” features other Kansas City healthcare experts with Dr. Jamal in questions and discussion led by Darron Story of 107.3FM.
Topics will include guidance on the COVID-19 delta variant and information about the COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr. Jamal heads the Department of Quality and Population Health at Swope Health. She is responsible for organization wide clinical quality, performance and process improvement, along with Population Health initiatives geared toward meeting the quadruple aim of improving provider and patient experience, improving population health outcomes and resource stewardship.
She also practices as a primary care physician through the Independence clinic and sees a variety of complex medical diagnoses.
Dr. Jamal is on faculty at University of Missouri/Kansas City where she is responsible for developing and delivering a preventive medicine and public health curriculum for family medicine residents. She is also responsible for the didactic lecture series Social and Structural Determinants of Health at the UMKC School of Medicine for Medical Students.
National Health Center Week, which takes place each year to spotlight the valuable work and accomplishments of America’s health centers, is set for Aug. 9-13. Swope Health will celebrate with its own events and special days of focus.
Swope Health will mark the week by honoring the people we serve and showing appreciation for the numerous individuals and groups who are so instrumental in helping us carry out our mission:
National Health Center Week has been observed for more than 30 years in acknowledgement of health centers as a beacon of strength, service and care in their communities. Swope Health is proud to fill that role in Kansas City with the assistance of many supporters. The events of the week shine a light on our stake in community health, paving the way to meeting our patients’ needs and driving a more equitable healthcare system for all.
“This week is always a special one at Swope Health because it accentuates our critical role in caring for the people in our community who need it most,” said Jeron Ravin, JD, Swope Health President and CEO. “As part of our mission to provide accessible, quality healthcare in Greater Kansas City, we will build upon these opportunities to share our story so we can encourage greater collaboration and take meaningful steps toward lasting change.”
Ravin added: “National Health Center Week also prompts us to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributes to the work we do – our staff members who make Swope Health so indispensable; our donors, stakeholders and partners who have joined our commitment to making care visible; and all our patients, who are such a joy to serve. We look forward to a week of well-deserved celebration and recognition, while maintaining our focus on a brighter future for health in Kansas City.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 4, Swope Health will offer free COVID-19 vaccinations at the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Kansas.
The event, sponsored by Swope Health with El Centro Inc. and KCK PAL, runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the PAL center, 800 N 5th St. No appointments are necessary, and the event is open to the community.
The Pfizer vaccine will be offered to individuals age 12 and up. Anyone under age 18 must have a parent or guardian present. Participants will be offered giveaways and the chance to enter a raffle for grocery gift cards.
The Police Athletic League of KCK offers youth the opportunity to interact with police officers in a positive setting while participating in academic, cultural, mentoring and sports programs. The program provides a safe, caring, and supportive environment, where members of the Kansas City Kansas Police Department and citizens work together to facilitate a community free from fear and violence.
Swope Health is hosting a free webinar, open to all, to learn about how you can help combat the crisis of sex trafficking of minors in our community.
The event will be held noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 18, via Zoom. Details: https://swopehealth.zoom.us/j/92623977221
The event features Russ Tuttle, the president and founder of The Stop Trafficking Project®– a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the issue, and teaching ways to prevent trafficking. The organization has developed the “Be Alert” strategy, which empowers students and encourages adults to take effective and empathetic action.
Russ’s program, “More than meets the eye,” will include details about the reality of domestic minor sex trafficking in our community and offer specific tactics to empower individuals to make a difference.
“Technology is not the enemy,” Russ says. “But the reality is that our kids’ vulnerabilities can — and are – being exploited online.”
His program will describe worst-case scenarios that led to instances of criminal sex trafficking involving children. He explains the scenarios as the “exploitation of vulnerability,” giving webinar participants an understanding of how the process typically begins. He also offers practical tools for adults to understand how to intervene in a compassionate and caring way.
Russ, with more than three decades of experience, has delivered educational presentations throughout the region, frequently speaking to students, educators, health professionals and parents. He estimates he has reached 125,000 people through his passionate commitment to raise awareness and help prevent exploitation of minors.
Swope Health provides this educational seminar to the community as well as to its associates in social work, counseling, and medical professions. All are welcome.
Join us: noon, Wednesday, Aug. 18, in a live presentation and discussion with Russ Tuttle, via Zoom: https://swopehealth.zoom.us/j/92623977221
Learn more about sex trafficking:
Resources: Including a Parents’ Safety Guide on Kids and Technology, Internet Safety Resources, Warning Guides, infographics and more.
Jeron Ravin, J.D., President and CEO of Swope Health, will participate in the first of a 10-month series of conversations sponsored by the African American Artists Collective.
This event occurs in two parts on Friday, July 30: first, from 1-2:30 pm with a conversation at the 21c Museum Hotel in Kansas City, and then from 7-9 pm, an evening social for action-centered connections and networking. Events are free and open to the public; registration is required at https://www.aaackc.org/testimony
The topic of the conversation is Testimony: The Misrepresentation of Black Men and Boys. From varying points of view, Black men will provide insight on what it takes to navigate the real world, maneuver through negative situations, and maintain a healthy mental, physical and spiritual existence. Questions will be posed by the moderator, Renee Blanche, host of the Night Tides radio program on KCUR-FM in Kansas City.
In addition to Ravin, participants are:
The July 30 evening social will include a live performance by Bobby Watson and art from the members of the African American Artists Collective. The collective invites local business, community, and educational organizations to register groups to attend. Seating is limited and available at no cost.
This independently organized event is associated with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s Testimony Exhibition. The 10-month long series will feature local voices and resources under the theme of Relationships and Supportive Networks.
To register to attend and for more information about AAAC’s Testimony: The Misrepresentation of Black Men and Boys, visit http://www.aaackc.org.
On Saturday, July 31, Swope Health West will host a free drive-through and walk-up COVID-19 vaccination event, which also features free food giveaways.
The event runs from 9 am to noon, Saturday, July 31 at 4835 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan. No appointments are necessary.
Swope Health will provide the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to individuals age 12 and up. Individuals under age 18 must have a parent or guardian present.
Conducted with support from El Centro, Harvesters, KanCare and Aetna Better Health of Kansas, the event will also offer fresh foods and protein. In addition, households that can demonstrate at least an 80% vaccination rate will be eligible for a $100 gift card. (El Centro will require vaccination records and other information to receive the gift card after the event.) 
Swope Health is proud to participate in Kansas City’s 2021 Juneteenth Celebrations, including a Juneteenth Family Giveaway and Vaccination Event, the Juneteenth Parade and the Juneteenth Heritage Festival.
The JuneteenthKC organization, a non-profit, describes Juneteenth as the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Traditionally Juneteenth is known as a cultural event that celebrates the emancipation of slaves in America in 1864.
JunteenthKC notes that the celebration was brought to Kansas City in 1980 by Horace M Peterson III, founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America. The annual heritage event celebrates the emancipation of enslaved Africans in America and provides the backdrop to pay tribute to the founders of our community.
Here’s a roundup of Swope Health’s activities in the free celebrations. Join us!
Learn more about Juneteenth History.
