Helping Save Lives in Our Communities and Congregations
The Story
National Minority Quality Forum’s Center for Sustainable Health Care and Equity (NMQF-SHC) is working with a network of pastors on the Faith Health Alliance — an effort to increase awareness of the benefits of COVID-19 and influenza vaccination in African American communities throughout the United States.
Respected faith leaders can lead to sustainable and accountable health outcomes in Black communities. The Black church is a cornerstone of community health promotion and the flu vaccine is an easy way to begin and (sustain) health promotion in underserved communities with a goal to expand into a variety of health issues.
The Purpose
The Rev. Dr. Terris King and Bishop Dr. J. L. Carter, leaders of Faith Health Alliance, have said African Americans have suffered vaccine disparities, COVID-19 infection and death, and other health inequities – through less knowledge and access, social and economic barriers and discrimination and bias in the health system. Pastors can play a pivotal role in closing these deadly gaps.
The church is committed to spiritual and physical healing – we are spirit and body,” the Rev. Dr. Carter said.
The Rev. Dr. Terris King expanded, “The interrelatedness of health equity and faith is being renewed nationally by the Faith Health Alliance, organized first to fight COVID and the Flu in 10 cities through increased Immunization. Prayerfully, this is a new beginning in addressing what Dr. King declared: “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhuman.”
National Minority Quality Forum with The Center of Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity has provided a number of resources for the Faith Health Alliance. You can download it below.
Special Thanks to Our Participating Pastors and Churches
Our Co-Chairs
Bishop J. L. Carter
Ark Church
Baltimore, MD
Rev. Dr. Terris King
Liberty Grace Church of God
Baltimore, MD
Participating Churches
Rev. Dr. Hosie Hopkins
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
Memphis, Tennessee
Rev. Nicole Slater
Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Birmingham, Alabama
Pastor Charles McNeill
Unity Baptist Church
Washington, District of Columbia
Pastor Thurmond Bowens
Trinity Baptist Church
Columbia, South Carolina
Pastor Joe Ratliff
Brentwood Baptist Church
Houston, Texas
Rev. Dr. Walter P. Turner, III
New Spiritual Light Missionary Baptist Church
Chicago, Illinois
Rev. Eric Goode
Peoples Baptist Church
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bishop Leofric Thomas, Sr.
Open Arms Community Church
Jacksonville, Florida
Reverend Dr. Robin A. Toogood II
Purity Baptist Church and Urban Center
Washington, DC
Pastor Shane Scott
Macedonia Baptist Church
Los Angeles, California
Pastor Paul Booth
Legacy Pointe Church
Cincinnati, Ohio
Pastor Erik Nation
Hope Center
Oakland, California
Pastor George Junior
Auxano Church
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Pastor Greg T. Frazier
Sweet Pilgrim of Faith Baptist Church
Gary, Indiana
Rev. Dr. Twana Harris
Carter Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Detroit, Michigan
Bishop Anthony Mclain
The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square
Upper Marlboro, MD
Rev. Manuel de Jesus Rodriguez
Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church
Queens, New York
Pastor Craig A. Harcum
Macedonia Baptist Church
Arlington, VA
Rev. Dr. William Foster
Providence Missionary Baptist Church
Chicago, Illinois
Resources for Faith Health Alliance
National Minority Quality Forum with The Center of Sustainable Health Care Quality and Equity has provided a number of resources for the Faith Health Alliance. You can download it below.
Use these slides to help conduct COVID-19 guideline training. Topics include vaccines, mask guidelines and testing.
Want To Check Out the Faith Health Alliance In Action?
Watch some of the sermons Faith Health Alliance churches have hosted in the past. If you want to be in the know about any future sermons, be sure to join the Health Champions newsletter.