RICHARDSON, TX — August 5, 2022 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — Efforts to bridge immunization gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and decreased preventative health visits is top of mind this year as the The Caring Foundation of Texas ramps up free vaccination opportunities across Texas to facilitate back-to-school readiness and facilitate health education during National Immunization Awareness month.

The Caring Foundation will deploy its Care Van ® Program to Dallas and Houston area schools and community centers to provide the vaccinations. The Care Van is the Caring Foundation’s signature program providing access to immunizations, oral care, and health education for uninsured and medically underserved children at no cost to their families.

“We’re excited to expand with even more public immunization events for children as we continue to emphasize the importance of catching up on vital childhood vaccines delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and hardships,” said Sheena Payne, executive director of the Caring Foundation. “This year the Care Van program has additional locations and times throughout the DFW and Houston metroplexes with the goal being to eliminate access issues as well as the financial burden of families getting their children immunized. Doing this not only improves the health of families, but also the community.”

The following Care Van events have been scheduled in Dallas and Houston, but check the Caring Foundation’s calendar for updates as dates and times can change.

Dallas-Ft. Worth area Care Van events:

• Aug. 3: Allen — 5-7 p.m., Boyd Elementary, 800 S. Jupiter Rd. Allen, TX 75002
• Aug. 5: Dallas Mayor’s Back to School Fair — 8 a.m.-noon, Fair Park, 3809 Grand Ave. Dallas, TX 75210
• Aug. 6: Grand Prairie — 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Abundant Life Assembly of God, 3829 S. Carrier Pkwy. Grand Prairie, TX 75054
• Aug. 9: North Dallas — 5-7 p.m., Skyview Elementary, 9229 Meadowknoll Dallas, TX 75243
• Aug. 10: Plano — 5-8 p.m., Plano ISD Welcome & Enrollment Center, 1300 19th St. Plano, TX 75054
• Aug. 11: Cedar Hill — 5-7 p.m., Cedar Hill ISD, 504 E. Beltline Rd. Cedar Hill, TX 75104
• Aug. 13: Uptown — 1-3 p.m., Church of the Incarnation, 3966 McKinney Ave. Dallas, TX 75204
• Aug. 15: Lewisville — 5-7 p.m., Westside Baptist, 900 Bellaire Blvd. Lewisville, TX 75067
• Aug. 16: Grand Prairie — 4:30-6:30 p.m., Grand Prairie ISD Family Service Center, 2341 Beltline Rd. Grand Prairie, TX 75052
• Aug. 17: Red Oak — 5-7 p.m., J.N. Ervin Elementary, 3722 Black Oak Dr. Red Oak, TX 75241
• Aug. 18: McKinney — 5-7 p.m., Lawson Early Childhood Center, 500 Dowell McKinney, TX 75071
• Aug. 23: Mesquite — 5-7 p.m., Mesquite ISD, 3819 Towne Crossing Blvd. Mesquite, TX 75150
• Aug. 25: Duncanville — 5-7 p.m., Duncanville High School, 900 W. Camp Wisdom Rd. Duncanville, TX 75116
• Aug. 27: East Dallas — 9-11 a.m., Ovenwood Farm & Neighborhood Space, 1451 John West Rd. Dallas, TX 75228
• Aug. 30: South Dallas — 5-7 p.m., Fredrick Douglas Stern Academy, 226 N. Jim Miller Rd. Dallas, TX 75217

Houston area Care Van events:

• Aug. 6: Southwest Houston — 10 a.m.-2 p.m., PlazAmericas, 7500 Bellaire Blvd. Houston, TX 77036
• Aug. 7: Southeast Houston — 1-3 p.m., Bethel Institutional Baptist Church, 5530 Selinsky Rd. Houston, TX 77048
• Aug. 12: Greater East End — 9:30 a.m.-noon, Community Family Centers, 7524 Ave. E Houston, TX 77012
• Aug. 13: Houston Mayor’s Back 2 School Fest — 8 a.m.-2 p.m., George R Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida De Las Americas Houston, TX 77010
• Aug. 20: Langwood — 9 a.m.-noon, Spring Branch Family Center, 8575 Pitner Rd. Houston, TX 77080

Events on the Caring Foundation calendar not marked private are open to the public, no appointment needed. Services are free for eligible children, ages 2 through 18, who meet at least one of the following criteria:

• No health insurance
• Health insurance that does not fully cover vaccines (under-insured)
• Enrolled in Medicaid
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Beyond routine childhood immunizations, older children from ages 11 to 18 also need to stay up-to-date with meningitis and HPV vaccines as well as a tetanus booster, which are included in Care Van services.

Bring a copy the child’s immunization record to the event, and all children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is the lead sponsor of the Care Van program. Since 1997, the Care Vans have provided more than 1.4 million vaccinations to children across Texas.

For general questions, please email us at info@carevan.org. To learn more about the program or about other locations, go to carevan.org.

About the Care Van Program
Established in 1991, The Caring Foundation of Texas is a 501(c)3 organization, funded by community contributions, corporate sponsorships, grants, and in-kind donations. The foundation's signature program is the Care Van® Program which provides access to immunizations, oral care, and health education for uninsured and medically underserved children at no cost to their families. Care Vans are uniquely designed to eliminate barriers that commonly prevent children from receiving on-time, age-appropriate immunizations and dental care in traditional health care settings. Care Vans travel to schools, houses of worship, and community events to conduct health outreach services. Additionally, through extended health education collaborations, the Care Van Program helps provide health, hygiene, and wellness education for children and adolescents. The program focuses on preventative health initiatives to foster healthier lifestyles for Texans.