News Release — NCNW, VYF, and Good Health WINs convene Good Health WINs Week

Washington, DC, Friday, May 21, 2021 — The National Council of Negro Women Inc. (NCNW), representing more than two million women of African descent, and Vaccinate your Family (VYF), one of the nation’s foremost immunization advocacy nonprofits, assembled with their Good Health WINs (GHW) partners for the Good Health WINs week. Together, NCNW and VYF launched Good Health Wins (Womens’ Immunization Networks) to raise awareness of the impact of timely immunizations for people of all ages and protect families and individuals from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Good Health WINs week was organized for NCNW, VYF, and GHW partners to meet and strategize about future action plans. GHW partners will help deploy education and enhance evidence-based resources around vaccine coverage. “We’re very excited; the of purpose Good Health WINs is to build and create a network of national and local partners who are positioned to help raise awareness about the impact of timely immunizations,” GHW project manager, Synovia Moss, stated.

State organizations, sections, and national affiliates all participated in Good Health WINs week. NCNW, VYF, and GHW are connected to the Black and Brown communities. The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) was among the GHW participating organizations. NHCLC Executive Director, Reverend Girien R. Salazar expressed, “I want to connect our community to good health and science.” Further, Salazar believes the GHW initiative will empower the community to take charge of their health and have access to information that will keep them healthy for generations. GHW aims to identify and implement strategies to reduce racial and/or ethnic disparities in adult vaccination coverage.

Good Health WINs week provided an important way for NCNW, VYF, and GHW partners to discuss the vision and strategize for the success of Good Health WINs. GHW will focus on 11 states during its first year of service. These states were selected based on data that showed issues with vaccine access numbers, issues with large gaps in vaccine coverage, and a significant lack of confidence in black and brown communities.

Education, engagement, and impact are the main foci of the work that Good Health WINs will accomplish. Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, national chair & seventh president of NCNW, expressed her gratitude during a news conference with these words: “We are so grateful to the Center of Disease Control for providing the funding that will allow this mighty coalition of women’s organizations to do good work.”

Good Health WINs week concluded with a social media storm and launch of the website. Together, NCNW, VYF, GHW partners, and volunteers pushed GHW’s mission via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. GHW’s website, GoodHealthWins.org, was also publicly announced. GoodHealthWins.org contains numerous immunization resources including a tool kit, expert briefings, COVID-19 testing sites, and additional credible information. “We have major work to do,” NCNW executive director Janice Mathis, Esq. began to express, “and it must be done together.”

About NCNW
National Council of Negro Women is a Washington, D.C.-based charitable organization making a difference in the lives of women, children, and families through a four-pronged strategy that emphasizes entrepreneurship, health equity, STEAM education, and civic engagement. Founded 85 years ago, NCNW has 300 community and campus-based sections and thirty-two national affiliates representing more than Two Million women and men.

NCNW’s programs are grounded on a foundation of critical concerns known as Four for the Future. NCNW promotes education with a particular focus on science, technology, engineering, and math; encourages entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and economic stability; educates women about good health and HIV/AIDS; promotes civic engagement and advocates for sound public policy and social justice. NCNW is known for its work to educate college-age women about HIV/AIDs and for producing the Black Family Reunion. Current programs include GirlTech, HBCU College Fair, Millennial Entrepreneurs, and Adulting 101. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Ph.D., is the National Chair and Seventh President of NCNW. NCNW has campaigned for clean water for Flint, MI, voting rights, and SNAP benefits. For more information please visit www.ncnw.org or NCNW’s social channels via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.

About Vaccinate Your Family
Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) — VYF was founded as Every Child By Two in 1991 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and former First Lady of Arkansas Betty Bumpers on the heels of one of the last major measles outbreaks in the U.S. The organization is dedicated to ensuring people of all ages are protected against deadly vaccine-preventable diseases.

Since the founding of the organization, VYF has served as the sole conduit of vaccine education for the staff of the USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). VYF offers a myriad of annual education opportunities to ensure the health of the over seven million low-income women, pregnant women, infants, and children who participate in the program annually. VYF has conducted hundreds of educational programs, webinars, conferences, and training programs for policymakers, nurses and other medical personnel, coalitions, and vaccine advocates over the past thirty years.

Due to their deep experience with vaccine partners and policymakers, VYF is uniquely positioned to expand the impact of NCNW’s advocates.