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Centro San Bonifacio holds a vaccine event in Hermosa / Belmont

With Omicron cases rising, people in Chicagoland need access to tests and proper masks so they can keep each other as safe as possible. 

This month, we are emphasizing the following messages for community members with questions about the Omicron variant:

Test before you see your friends and family if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms or if you have come into close contact with someone who has COVID.

Educators Table Update

The Chicagoland Vaccine Partnership’s Educators Table brings together community groups that work with students, teachers and families to form a network of trusted messengers with the latest information about vaccines and COVID safety. The Educators Table works to increase vaccination rates by:


Training Youth Vaccine Ambassadors. Peer-to-peer outreach is the most effective way to reach young people about vaccination. The Educators Table works with the Mikva Challenge Teen Health Council, Young Invincibles and Learning Community Fellows to train youth vaccine ambassadors and help plan outreach.

Engaging Parents. With vaccines for younger children now available, we’re focusing on outreach to parents and building connections between primary care providers and elementary schools.

Mobilizing Resources. The Educators Table has worked with local philanthropy to provide 10 grants to community groups that work with students and parents to promote vaccination. 

Your organization can join the Educators Table by emailing Scott Thorpe.

Partner Highlight: Centro San Bonifacio 

Founded by families in the St. Boniface Parish, Centro San Bonifacio grew into an established, community-run organization that works to improve the health of their community by training and mobilizing Promotores de Salud. Their Promotores help bring health information and resources to low-income and immigrant communities in the Avondale, Hermosa and Belmont Cragin neighborhoods.

When the pandemic hit, Centro San Bonifacio mobilized their Promotores network to educate about vaccines and provide personal protective equipment to help people stay safe. They organized several vaccination events at their Café Fenix location, including events for families and children throughout December.

Learn About Variants and Global Vaccination with the Learning Community

Each week the Vaccine Partnership’s Learning Community offers free virtual events to help people better understand the public health essentials. Upcoming sessions include “Variants 101: How Viruses Mutate” and “Status of COVID-19 Around the World” where experts from Mexico, Peru, and Haiti share what those countries are doing to address the pandemic.

Sign up for Learning Community Events.