Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

News

A Volunteer Vaccine Navigator Has Some Tips

Volunteer Candice Kim put up a sign near her home offering to help people struggling to navigate the vaccine appointment booking systems. (Courtesy of Candice Kim)
()

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

It's one thing to be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and another thing entirely to navigate the system and acquire it.

The barriers to vaccine access are plenty:

  • language and translation hurdles
  • email and cell phone availability
  • technology proficiency
  • the time to keeping checking various avenues, transportation, and supply limitations.

To help, some Southern Californians have stepped in and stepped up to guide friends, family and strangers through the medical maze.

We talked to Pasadena resident Candice Kim who took up the effort when her parents — who are seniors — became eligible for the vaccine. She's now a project director by day and a volunteer vaccine navigator by night.

Support for LAist comes from

LEARN MORE ABOUT HER TIPS

Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist