From our hometown of Minneapolis-St. Paul to communities around the world, Target’s committed to creating a better future for all. And as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the vaccine rollout gains momentum, we’re teaming up with local, national and global organizations and investing $5 million to help more communities have access to a COVID-19 vaccine.
“Vaccine availability is increasing across the country, but not as quickly for underserved communities, many of which have been the most impacted by the pandemic,” says Amanda Nusz, senior vice president of corporate responsibility at Target and president of the Target Foundation. “That’s why we’re using our size, scale and resources to make it easier to receive a vaccine. Our $5 million investment helps bridge the gap between these communities and the resources they need, from our hometown to communities across the country and the world.”
Helping at home
We’ll start by contributing $1 million to local and national nonprofits offering access to free and discounted rides to vaccination appointments through Lyft’s Universal Vaccine Access campaign, which is mobilizing a coalition of partners to provide underserved communities access to rides to and from vaccination sites. We’ll also give $2.5 million to trusted local community organizations across the country to better support vaccination efforts directly in the neighborhoods they serve. That includes our hometown of Minneapolis, where we’ll provide $500,000 to the Minnesota Council on Foundations to coordinate philanthropic support with the Minnesota Department of Health’s vaccine equity effort to reach communities of color, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. It also includes supporting Latinos Progresando in Chicago to increase vaccinations in the Latino community. And we’re helping spread the word about the vaccines, too, already providing $1 million toward the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative’s effort to educate the public and build confidence around the vaccines, particularly within communities of color.
Making a difference across the globe
As a retailer with global supply chain, we’re dedicated to improving lives beyond our backyard, too — including communities around the world. That’s why we’re also partnering with UNICEF USA, contributing $500,000 to support its global work alongside the World Health Organization and partners to ensure fair, equitable access to vaccines, including countries with limited vaccine access.
These latest efforts are just the next step in Target’s coronavirus response, which included $10 million early last year in immediate assistance for local, national and global organizations responding to the pandemic. And as always, we remain committed to the health and safety of our team members, too, most recently taking steps to make it easier for them to get the vaccine information and access they need, including free transportation and up to four hours of pay for hourly team members while they’re getting vaccinated. For a deeper look, check out the latest on Target's pandemic response.
