VALLEY FORGE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The AmerisourceBergen Corporation , an independent not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community, announced today a $700,000 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support COVID-19 vaccine education and awareness in an effort to remove barriers to vital healthcare access.

As trusted community leaders, Boys & Girls Clubs are providing solutions, breaking down barriers and increasing access to vaccines that will enable communities to not only recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but thrive. The AmerisourceBergen Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America will roll out flexible and responsive awareness and education campaigns across 28 Clubs in California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas. This collective effort will empower Boys & Girls Clubs across the country to provide critical advocacy, awareness and education work around COVID-19 vaccination.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the long-term impacts come into focus, it is imperative that we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure Clubs and communities can emerge from this crisis stronger and more resilient than ever,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. We are committed to ensuring Club staff, kids, families and communities where we live and work have the resources and support they need throughout COVID-19 so that we can continue to serve youth safely.”

Mobility, varying state guidelines around eligibility and access to internet and Wi-Fi can all create barriers and create questions around vaccine safety and availability. As trusted players in the fabric of their communities, Boys & Girls Clubs can leverage their role to increase confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines. The educational programs will include strategies around vaccine equity and disparity that recognize historical trauma related to health inequities and provide resources to Clubs that can be used for staff, kids and their families and those in the local community. Clubs will also receive virtual training and individual consultation to successfully implement tailored COVID-19 vaccine education programs, as well as an overall response strategy that best fits their community’s unique needs.

“The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is singularly focused on advancing the wellbeing of our communities by broadening access to quality healthcare for everyone. This mission has never been more vital than during a global healthcare crisis and we are proud to partner with organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America to implement community-based programs that will lead to real systemic transformation,” said Gina Clark, President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation has donated more than $1 million in grants to support communities, individuals and nonprofits impacted by COVID-19. In alignment with the Foundation’s mission to improve the health and wellbeing of patient populations, grants have been deployed to various regional, national and global organizations that have been keenly focused on combatting the economic, psychosocial and health challenges resulting from the global pandemic.

As the philanthropic arm of AmerisourceBergen Corporation, the Foundation is aligned in its mission to support efficient and safe access to pharmaceutical care around the globe. In the midst of global crises, and during these times of need, it is the collection of AmerisourceBergen, its associates, the Foundation and its stakeholder partners that come together united in a responsibility to create healthier futures to effectively support relief efforts. Together, these organizations work tirelessly around the clock to expand access to quality healthcare, improve patient outcomes and ensure that healthcare providers are able to receive the products they rely on to treat those who are immediately impacted.

To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s commitment to equity and social justice at www.bgca.org. For more information about the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, visit www.amerisourcebergenfoundation.org.

About the AmerisourceBergen Foundation

The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is an independent not-for-profit charitable giving organization established by AmerisourceBergen Corporation to support health-related causes that enrich that global community. The Foundation aims to improve the health and well-being of its patient populations – both human and animal – by investing in its communities. Through strategic partnerships and community collaboration, the Foundation works to expand access to quality healthcare and provide resources to ensure prescription drug safety. For more information, visit www.amerisourcebergenfoundation.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. More than 4,700 Clubs serve 4.6 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210412005156/en/