Encore.org is mobilizing retired medical professionals — and volunteers of all ages working alongside them — to help vaccinate 300,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area who need it most.
We’re working with nine Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that serve a low-income and ethnically diverse population — the same group that has been disproportionately hit by the Covid virus and is now struggling to get equal access to the vaccine.
In addition to providing much needed personnel to administer vaccines, the Encore Intergenerational Vaccine Corps will powerfully demonstrate:
- How to solve problems by bringing older and younger generations together.
- How to strengthen community health and solidarity by engaging volunteers with FQHCs.
- How to bridge the generational divide and positively shape cross-generational understanding through intergenerational relationships and collaborative problem-solving.
- How to address an urgent social problem with federal national service funding.
We have already recruited dozens of medical volunteers and hundreds of non-medical volunteers. We are particularly interested in Spanish-speaking and Mandarin/Cantonese-speaking medical and non-medical volunteers living in the East Bay, South Bay, and San Francisco. If you can help, click here.
Got questions? Read the FAQ.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why should I volunteer?
Community-based health centers are committed to providing culturally appropriate, high quality, and accessible health care to the diverse communities — and they need your support. These centers are now vaccinating the most vulnerable populations and are understaffed in their efforts. By volunteering you can make an impact on the lives of the people most at risk during this pandemic.
Where are the health centers ?
The health centers involved in this phase of the program are located in the North Bay, South Bay and San Francisco.
What will volunteers do?
Non-medical volunteers will:
- Help with the set up of vaccination sites
- Support patients with paperwork, forms and questions
- Help with patient flow
- Assist medical professionals with post-vaccination monitoring
- Provide translation for patients who speak languages other than English
- Community outreach and education
Medical volunteers will:
- Vaccinate
- Monitor patients post-injection for reactions
- Respond to patient questions (some remote work is available)
- Assist with community outreach and education
What are the requirements for being a volunteer?
You must be 18 years of age or older and willing to volunteer at least once per week. A background check is required.
What level of commitment do you need?
Many health centers request at least four hours per week for eight weeks.
Does volunteering take place indoors or outdoors?
Both options exist depending on the site.
Will volunteers get vaccinated before working at a vaccination site?
Vaccinations will be offered to most volunteers who agree to a multi-week commitment in clinical environments. Staff at health centers will decide who needs a vaccine.
Is a background check required? And do I have to pay for it?
A background check is required and provided by the health centers at no cost to you.
Is training provided?
Yes, training is provided by the health center.
How do I start the process of becoming a volunteer?
Click here to fill out the volunteer application.
What happens after I fill out the volunteer application?
You are logged in our volunteer queue and will be scheduled for an interview with our Volunteer Coordinator or Program Director.
Where can I get more information?
For more information about non-medical volunteering, please contact Trupti Mehta at [email protected]. For more information about medical volunteering, please contact Dr. Gerry Bourne at [email protected].