Seward Vaccine Equity Project (SVEP) is a small, all-volunteer community organization that began in early 2021 to make COVID-19 vaccines available to people of color, immigrants, and people from other disadvantaged communities, particularly those who live or worship in Minneapolis's Seward neighborhood.
Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice serves as the fiscal sponsor for SVEP. To read more about the work of SVEP visit their website.
In our first year, we've vaccinated nearly 500 people--virtually all from our prioritized communities. We hold events in Seward's Somali mosque, Masjid Rawdah; Seward's Oromo mosque, Tawfiq Islamic Center; and the Seward Coop Creamery; and we currently partner with Seward's Somali-operated Gargar Clinic to provide vaccination. In 2022, we are still regularly providing new first shots (to adults and children), as well as booster shots to high-risk adults. Our events work because we take every person seriously, answering their questions and working to overcome whatever stands in their way, whether it's a language barrier or needing transportation to a vaccine site. We do outreach through mosques; local independent pharmacies and other immigrant-owned businesses; union locals; sports programs; and other community networks. We follow up actively with anyone interested, to make sure that people who want their shots get their shots.
We need YOUR help with donations to pay for: vaccine incentives (i.e., gift cards for families), event expenses such as food for nurses, and occasional payments to partner organizations for their time in working with us to do intensive outreach to families, reaching out to answer any and all questions they have about vaccination. We have always operated on a shoestring and will be good stewards of your money!