In January, Schochet became aware through its partnership with LeadingAge (which represents nonprofit aging services providers, using applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to improve life for the aging) that vaccines could be made available at affordable housing sites with an eligible population.
Springing into action, staff arranged a vaccine clinic by the next day at Seabury Heights, an RHF property in Worcester, MA. This required Schochet staff from Braintree headquarters and other properties to jump in and enter data, set up chairs, and help fill out forms, explain and answer questions and translate for residents who spoke Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Swahili. It took long hours and working weekends, but the end result was on-site vaccinations by CVS for any eligible resident who wanted it at the following properties:
Binnall House, Gardner, MA; Hamilton Wade/Douglas House, Brockton, MA; King James Court, Orange, MA, Mason Place, Symphony Plaza and Stearns, Boston; Riverside Towers, Medford, MA; Seabury Heights; Waterview, South Boston; Weldon House, Greenfield, MA; Capitol Towers and Shepherd Park, Hartford, CT; and Essex Village, North Kingstown, RI.
Schochet President Richard Henken said, "After witnessing the devastation of this pandemic and the impact of loneliness and lack of socialization on our elderly population, we are grateful to have played a role in protecting so many of our most vulnerable and are deeply appreciative to our partners LeadingAge, CVS, and especially the state government officials who recognized the difficulty and safety risk in transporting seniors to vaccination sites and worked with us to make them so easily accessible."