RICHARDSON, Texas — As school administrators across the state grapple with whether to hold in-person or virtual classes or some hybrid of both, there is no question that school age children still need their vaccinations. The Caring Foundation of Texas is here to help and is collaborating with school districts in the Dallas and Houston regions to offer free vaccinations.
The Caring Foundation will deploy its Care Van ® Program to Dallas and Houston area schools 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.
“The COVID-19 pandemic understandably has led to parents delaying wellness visits and vaccinations for their children and some may not be financially able to get their children immunized,” said Sheena Payne, executive director of the Caring Foundation. “That’s why we are working with Dallas and Houston area school districts to help families through our Care Van program – the goal being to eliminate the access issue 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 please check the Caring Foundation’s calendar for updates as dates and times can change due to the evolving school calendar. Be aware that space is limited so it’s important to quickly sign up for events in your area.
Care Van events currently scheduled in the Dallas area:
- First United Methodist, 414 Broad St, Forney, August 4, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Appointments required.
- Grand Prairie Family Service Center, 2341 N Belt Line Rd, August 11, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Private event Grand Prairie ISD students only.
- Forest Meadow Junior High, 9373 Whitehurst Dr., August 13, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Lawson Childhood Center in McKinney, 500 Dowell St, August 20, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Manuel & Maria Valle Student Services Center in Garland, 720 Stadium Drive, August 24, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Private event Garland ISD students only.
- Mesquite ISD BEES Center, 3819 Towne Crossing, August 25, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. , Private event Mesquite ISD students only.
- Pat May Center, 1849 Central Dr. in Bedford, August 27, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Care Van events currently scheduled in the Houston area:
- Spring Branch Family Center, 8575 Pitner, August 6, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Appointments required. Call Ricardo Barnes 713.996.8781.
- Spring Independent School District, 16717 Ella Blvd, August 8, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Appointments required. Call Tranita Carroll, 281.891.6019.
- Spring Branch Family Center, 8575 Pitner, August 13, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Appointments required. Call Ricardo Barnes 713.996.8781.
- Wunderlich Intermindate, 11800 Misty Valley Dr., August 17, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Klein ISD students only - 832.249.5233.
- Salvation Army Alief, 7920 Cook Rd., August 19, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Make reservations at www.carevan.org.
To protect families as well as Caring Foundation staff and volunteers during the pandemic, health and safety protocols have been implemented. The following protocols will be in effect for all clinics:
- All clinic attendees are required to bring and wear their mask during their visit. Additionally, all attendees will have their temperatures checked and go through a medical screening.
- One parent or legal guardian will be allowed to enter the clinic with their child/children receiving care. Appointments will be required to limit the number of families at the clinic at one time.
- Volunteers will be screened prior to the clinic and will adhere to increased cleaning measures during clinic hours.
- Please bring the proper intake form with you to the event for each child. Forms can be found here: https://carevan.org/forms.
- Please bring a copy of your child’s immunization record.
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 1.3 million vaccinations to children across Texas.
To see if your child qualifies for free immunizations, please visit our Immunization Outreach page. For general questions, please email us at info@carevan.org. To learn more about the program or about other locations, go to www.carevan.org.