NEWS GLEAMS: How to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine, Earth Week Events, & More!

curated by Emerald Staff

A round-up of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

The Latest on COVID-19 Vaccines

How to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine — Now that everyone 16 years or older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine here in Washington state, how do you even find one? In case you missed it last week, Emerald reporter Ben Adlin put together a comprehensive guide on locating a COVID-19 vaccine and everything else you'd probably like to know before getting one.

We've highlighted some quick answers from the guide for the "Where Do I Go To Get a Vaccine?" question here:

• Start with your primary care physician (PCP) or health clinic: See if they're scheduling appointments with their own sign-up system. If you don't have a PCP (or even if you do and your PCP isn't offering vaccine appointments), check out the next options on this list.
  
• City of Seattle Vaccination Locations: Four locations are located in Rainier Beach, West Seattle, North Seattle, and Lumen Field in SODO. Get on the waitlist for an appointment through a city website (available in seven languages) or by calling the city's customer service hotline at (206) 684-2489 (interpreters are available to provide language assistance).
  
• King County Vaccination Sites (outside Seattle): Locations are open in Auburn, Kent, and Redmond. For Auburn or Kent locations, pre-register through a county website (currently only in English), and for the Redmond location, pre-register through their own separate website. King County also has a COVID-19 call center you can call to get on the waitlist at (206) 477-3977 (language interpreters are available).
  
• Pharmacy and Drugstore Chains: Pharmacy and drugstore chains like Safeway, Walgreens, Costco, QFC, CVS, and more offer their own vaccine appointments with their own registration systems via online or the phone. Note that you may be required to set up an account with these companies in order to get on their waitlist.
  
• Vaccine Locator Tools: Vaccinate WA's Locator (state-run) and CovidWA.com (volunteer-led) allow you to search for available vaccination appointments at sites near your zip code. Both groups are sharing information, but the systems remain separate.
  
• Find a COVID Shot WA: A grassroots-led Facebook group that helps highest risk communities, including BIPOC, find vaccination appointments through crowdsourced information about vaccine availability.

It's okay to put your name on a few different appointment waitlists, but if you do finalize an appointment, be sure to take your name off the other lists!

The above was just a snapshot of some of the valuable information in Ben Adlin's guide. For more information, check out the full article.

Public Health — Seattle & King County Offers In-Home Vaccinations — King County Public Health officials announced on Monday, April 19, that people who have difficulty leaving their homes will qualify for in-home COVID-19 vaccinations from a team of mobile caregivers. People over the age of 16 who qualify include those who cannot easily leave their home because of an injury, developmental disability, or medical condition. Appointments are prioritized for those in most serious need of the vaccine and those who have the most challenges leaving their home.

To make an appointment, call the King County COVID-19 Call Center at (206) 477-3977 between 8 a.m. and 7 a.m. any day of the week. People will be asked a number of questions to determine eligibility, and then an appointment can be scheduled. Translation services during the call are available in a number of languages and a limited number of in-person translation services at the time of vaccination is also an option.

Note that because of high demand, you may need to wait several weeks for an appointment. According to Public Health — Seattle & King County, during your in-home appointment, you'll need to:
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• Make sure that everyone in your home wears a mask unless they are unable to for health reasons.
• When possible, practice social distancing. If you are not receiving the vaccine, stay six feet apart from members of the vaccination team.
• Keep pets out of the area where the vaccination takes place.

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Free Public Testimony Training From the League of Women Voters of SEA-King County

April 17 and April 24 — 11 a.m.—2:30 p.m.

From the League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County: The League of Women Voters of Seattle-King County is partnering with LWVWA to host a free, two-day public workshop called "Speak Up School." The workshop will teach attendees the basics of redistricting and how to write and present effective public testimony.

The first day of "Speak Up School" ran on Saturday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and covered how to write testimony as well as an exploration of Washington state district maps and data lenses. The second day will be held on Saturday, April 24, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will cover how to deliver testimony, an exploration of Dave's Redistricting App Map Drawing Tool, as well as an opportunity to practice giving testimony.

To register for "Speak Up School," fill out the following web form.

Seattle Parks and Recreation Earth Week Events

While Earth Day is officially on Thursday, April 22, Seattle Parks and Recreation has been celebrating all week with their Earth Week Events. From an educational YouTube playlist to a seedling giveaway to Rec'N the Streets outdoor fun to StoryWalks in the Park, there's been something for everyone to help care for, learn about, and give honor to this planet we call home.

There's still three days left of Earth Week, including the official Earth Day, so if you want to participate in the activities Seattle Parks and Recreation has organized, be sure to check out their Earth Week 2021 Events webpage.

Seattle Emergency Rental Assistance Program RFQ

Application Deadline: April 27 — 12 p.m.

From the Seattle Office of Housing: The Seattle Office of Housing (OH) is now accepting applications for the Seattle Emergency Rental Assistance Program for Community-Based Organizations. This request for qualifications (RFQ) intends to fund organizations to assist residential renters who have been unable to pay their rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The RFQ will prioritize organizations led by and serving people who are Black, Indigenious, or People of Color.

Funds will be awarded to organizations that have an established track record of serving communities that:

• Have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19; and,
• Have disproportionate need for rental assistance.

Priority will be given to organizations with experience managing rent assistance and/or homelessness prevention dollars, particularly during the current COVID-19 public health emergency.

Applications are due by April 27 at 12 p.m.

For more information and to request an application for the RFQ, please contact Kelli Larsen at kelli.larsen@seattle.gov or (206) 858-1932.

On Board Othello Wants to Hear From the Community!

On Board Othello is conducting an online survey to better ensure that development and growth of the neighborhood around the Othello light rail station takes into account the needs of the diverse residents and businesses in the community. According to On Board Othello's website, "We want to hear from the community; help us by taking the survey below. The information we receive from the survey will help guide On Board Othello's work in the community." The survey is available in languages other than English, including Spanish, Vietnamese and Somali.

If you reside in the Othello neighborhood, take the survey on On Board Othello's Neighborhood Survey webpage.

"Professional Editors Offer Free Services for BIPOC in Academia"

The Academic Editing Circle, a group of professional editors helping make editing services easily available to BIPOC in academia, is offering pro bono services for the April—June 2021 quarter! Academic Editing Circle editors are skilled in subjects from medical sciences to humanities. The Academic Editing Circle also offers resources for finding and hiring Black and Indigenous professional editors who specialize in academic works.

If you're a BIPOC student, scholar, researcher, teacher, mentor, or administrator currently looking for academic editing services, visit the Academic Editing Circle's website for more information and to find an available editor!

Gates Foundation Discovery Center, South Seattle Emerald, and Civic Commons Continues Virtual 'In Community We Flourish' Series

May 5 — 12—1 p.m. PDT

From the source: Join the Gates Foundation Discovery Center, South Seattle Emerald, and Civic Commons as we continue the virtual lunchtime series, "In Community We Flourish." This series will focus on stories of communities coming together to meet needs, share information, heal, fight and treat the disease, and spread joy. It complements the Gates Foundation Discovery Center virtual storytelling exhibit "Enduring COVID-19: Stories from our Transforming World," launching on discovergates.org in late April 2021.

The series will kick off May 5 at 12 p.m. with Rosette Royale, Storytelling Consultant; Marcus Harrison Green, founder of the South Seattle Emerald; Roxana Pardo Garcia, community organizer for food justice and cultural worker from LaRoxay Productions; Ming-Ming Tung-Edelman from the Refugee Artisan Initiative; Tony Benton, founder and Station Manager of Rainier Avenue Radio; as well as a powerful performance by the Tacoma Refugee Choir.

For more information and to register, please fill out the following web form.

King County Levy Would Support Programs for Families, Youth, and Children

On Monday April 19, King County Executive Dow Constantine submitted to the King County Council a six-year, $811 million levy that would fund programs designed to improve the health and well-being of children, youth, and families across the county. Known as Best Starts for Kids, the first levy passed in 2015 and provided a range of services including home-based programs for new families, before- and after-school programs for children, homelessness prevention measures, and subsidized childcare. According to the County Executive's Office, the measure would provide childcare to 3,000 additional families.

"Every day, our groundbreaking Best Starts for Kids initiative ensures King County's children have equitable opportunities to thrive and achieve their potential," Constantine said in a press release about the measure. "Quality childcare is essential to preparing our kids for success in school and supporting working families. As our region recovers from the health and economic crises brought on by the global pandemic, it is more important than ever to make sure every child and family is supported to share in that recovery."

The levy would tax properties at $0.19 per $1,000 of assessed value or about $114 each year for the average-priced home in King County, an increase of $0.05 per $1,000 over the previous measure, which expires on December 31, 2021.

Around 22% of levy funds would go to homelessness prevention programs, 50% would support programs for children prenatal to age 5, and 37% would cover services directed at children, youth, and young adults from ages 5 to 24. The remaining 8% would fund Communities of Opportunity (COO), a private-public partnership that has worked with more than 50 community-based organizations to improve health, housing, and economic standing for families.

To find out more about the levy, visit the King County Executive's Best Start for Kids webpage.