Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Helps Atlanta Start the New Year In Good Health By Offering Free COVID-19 Vaccines, Mammogram Screenings, Flu Shots, and Blood Donation Drive
Annual observance of MLK holiday focuses on day of service to others
Since its founding 113 years ago, the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® (AKA) have been on a mission to raise community awareness of critical health issues impacting African American women, with a primary focus on breast cancer awareness and prevention, heart health, nutrition and wellness, and wellness care for caregivers.
In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) International Day of Service, the nation’s first sorority of college-educated Black women is partnering with Walgreens, MCI Diagnostics Center, Grady Health System, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, and Saint Philip A.M.E. Church to provide free COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, and testing; as well as flu shots, free 3-D mammograms, community blood donations, and the Empowerment Resource Center will conduct HIV testing. The two-day event will be held on Saturday, January 15, and Monday, January 17, the actual birthday of the celebrated civil rights leader, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Saint Philip A.M.E. Church, 240 Candler Rd., SE, Atlanta, GA. Those who receive the COVID vaccine or booster will receive a free gift card and the opportunity to win a 55-inch Smart TV.
Free mammograms require a scheduled appointment. Please visit www.assuredimaging.com/AKA or call (928) 674-7332 extension 7132. CDC safety guidelines will be followed. Social distancing and wearing a mask are required.
“We are proud to partner with Saint Philip A.M.E. Church, MCI Diagnostics, Grady Health System, and our long-time partner Walgreens to enrich the lives of African American women and families with resources that are desperately needed,” said Alpha Kappa Alpha President and CEO Dr. Glenda Glover. “We are especially honored to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by having our local chapters around the globe join our national efforts to do what Dr. King did all his life, and that was to be of service to others. We kick off the new year and continue the tradition of our annual MLK International Day of Service, which is our commitment to ensuring underserved communities receive adequate resources such as COVID vaccines and tests, as well as breast cancer screenings and educational information through our AKA 3D Mammography Mobile Unit.”
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. strives to reach 100,000 women over the course of four years since launching the 3D mobile unit launched in 2018. The mammography motorcoach has traveled more than 190,000 miles and visited 31 cities across the country. AKA chapters also partner with local clinics, rural health centers, and hospitals to emphasize the need for women of color to receive regular mammograms because early detection saves lives.
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About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of over 300,000 members in more than 1,000 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, and in the Middle East. Led by International President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenda Glover Ph.D., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is often hailed as “America’s premier Greek-letter organization for African American women.” Visit www.aka1908.com for more information.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the United States segment of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail pharmacy. As America’s most loved pharmacy, health, and beauty company, Walgreens purpose is to champion the health and wellbeing of every community in America. Operating more than 9,000 retail locations across America, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving approximately 8 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. To best meet the needs of customers and patients, Walgreens offers a true omnichannel experience, with platforms bringing together physical and digital, supported by the latest technology to deliver high-quality products and services in local communities nationwide.
About MCI Diagnostics
As a National Clinical High-Complexity CLIA laboratory, MCI Diagnostics Center is committed to supporting our nation by providing accurate Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The laboratory has the capacity to process thousands of test per day which will save lives and get our nation back to their daily normal routines. MCI Diagnostics provide unsurpassed quality and patient care by following all mandated regulations and guidelines with accreditation and certifications. With this continuous focus MCI Diagnostics provides excellence in all services provided.
About Grady Health System
Grady Health System is one of the largest safety net health systems in the nation. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, six neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children’s affiliate. With its nationally acclaimed emergency services, Grady is Atlanta’s premier Level 1 trauma center – the metro area’s only nationally verified Level 1 center. Grady EMS serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta, South Fulton County communities, and numerous counties across Georgia. It also operates the state’s first Mobile Stroke Unit, taking cutting-edge pre-hospital care directly to patients. Grady’s American Burn Association/American College of Surgeons verified Burn Center is one of only two in the state. And, the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center is a Joint Commission designated Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Other key services/distinctions include Grady’s Regional Perinatal Center with its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Georgia’s first Cancer Center for Excellence, The Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Ponce de Leon Center – one of the top HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. Grady is one of an elite group of hospitals to earn the Baby-Friendly USA international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility. Grady has achieved the Chime Digital Health Most Wired recognition at a Level 9 for both Acute and Ambulatory care.
