Seven Texas Communities Receive Vaccination Grants

 Oct. 15, 2015

Seven communities across Texas are receiving disease-preventing and potentially life-saving vaccinations, thanks to Texas Medical Association’s (TMA’s) Be Wise —ImmunizeSM Local Impact Grants program. The program awarded grants totaling more than $10,000 to physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance (TMAA) chapters (comprising physicians and physicians’ spouses), to provide free and low-cost vaccinations to uninsured and underinsured Texans.

TMA created the Be Wise — Immunize Local Impact Grants program in 2012 to allow TMA and TMAA members to meet local vaccination needs to keep their communities healthier. The TMA Family members often partner with other local organizations on the projects.

Since 2012, TMA has awarded 46 grants totaling $88,000 to provide nearly 5,000 vaccinations across the state through the Local Impact Grants program. Be Wise — Immunize and the Local Impact Grants are funded by the TMA Foundation (TMAF), TMA’s philanthropic arm.

“TMA Foundation and its donors are proud to support these efforts because immunizations prevent serious diseases and help Texans live healthier lives,” said TMAF President Deborah A. Fuller, MD, a Dallas physician.

Here are the recently-awarded TMA grants, ranging from $500 to $2,500:

TMA actively works to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases and to promote the importance, safety, and effectiveness of vaccines through Be Wise — Immunize. The program combines vaccination education with hands-on shot clinics. Nearly 300,000 shots have been given to Texas children, adolescents, and adults since the program began in 2004. TMAF funds the Be Wise program through generous support from H-E-B and TMF Health Quality Institute, Permian Basin Youth Chavarim, and gifts from physicians and their families.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 48,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. TMA Foundation raises funds to support the public health and science priority initiatives of TMA and the family of medicine.

Be Wise — Immunize is a service mark of the Texas Medical Association.

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Contact:  Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org

Marcus Cooper (512) 370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org

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Last Updated On

February 18, 2020

Originally Published On

October 15, 2015

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