MAGIC VALLEY — The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs (ICHA) and The South Central Hispanic Chamber of Commerce launched their vaccine campaign in an effort to encourage the Hispanic and Latino community to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
With a $25,000 grant from the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Helath, they are now hoping to work with local radio stations to get their message across.
“We were already in conversation with them and we were able to secure that $25,000 that went specifically towards that vaccine campaign," Margie Gonzalez, Executive Director of The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, said.
The organizations partnered together last November to launcha mask campaign to encourage the Hispanic and Latino community to wear a mask.
“So we built up from the work that we had already done with the mask campaign and worked with the Hispanic chamber who has taken the lead on making sure that the vaccine campaign also took effect in the state of Idaho," Gonzalez said.
ICHA said their goal with working with local radio stations is to reach Hispanic and Latino communities in rural areas.
“A lot of our isolated communities that have a significant number of Hispanic families living there have no other means of getting the educational awareness or materials unless it's by radio," Gonzalez said.
They say throughout the pandemic, the Hispanic and Latino community have faced some obstacles when it comes to receiving accurate information about the virus, and this is mainly because of the language barrier.
“Now that the vaccine is available here in the state of Idaho, our Hispanic community that might be monolingual, it's critical that we make sure they get that information as well," Gonzalez said.
La Perrona radio station in Jerome helped both organizations get the word out about the mask campaign, and they say their plan to do the same with the vaccine campaign.
“This is not the end of la ranita or the frog, this is only the very beginning," Ben Reed, Radio Host for La Perrona Radio Station, said.
The campaign will run until April 15.
