C4I Announcement 2021 – BrandedProvidence, RI – Providence Children’s Museum has received one of 50 Communities for Immunity awards to advance vaccine confidence. Supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Communities for Immunity provides funding awards and support to museums and libraries engaging their communities to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence. As trusted community partners, museums and libraries play a critical role in building vaccine confidence and fighting the pandemic.
With a broad reach and established safety protocols, PCM is uniquely positioned to build community resilience to the virus by supporting vaccinations for children and creating a public health awareness campaign geared to the youngest and most vulnerable. Serving as a familiar, accessible, and child friendly site will make the vaccination process less intimidating and boost access and participation for families with children with free admission as an incentive. PCM will host a series of COVID-19 vaccination related activities in English and Spanish throughout a 12-week period. These activities will include promotion of vaccinations, creation and distribution of STEAM-based educational materials demystifying the vaccine, hosting public outreach events, serving as a vaccination site for children, and providing free playtime to those who receive the vaccine.
“PCM has been a resource for parents and children for over 44 years,” says Executive Director Caroline Payson. “Serving families by providing an educational opportunity, community support, and safe location for vaccination for the children of Rhode Island is the natural next step for our institution.”
Families can follow PCM’s Community for Immunity vaccination clinics and activities through social channels and by visiting www.providencechildrensmuseum.org.
“We’ve been thrilled to partner again with design firm NAIL to create a new vaccine focused logo,” says Director of Development and External Relations Annelise Conway. “The flexibility of our new brand identity allows us to mark this historic moment with a specific logo.”
The logo, featuring a bandaged arm and crayon, masked child, and many hands holding hearts, speaks to the way the community can work together to end the pandemic.
“Through this unprecedented partnership, Communities for Immunity is providing nearly 100 museums, libraries, and tribal organizations across the country with over $1.6 million over two rounds of funding to help their community members make well-informed decisions about COVID-19 and vaccinations,” said Laura Lott, President and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums. “These organizations are linchpins in helping bring an end to the pandemic and leading their communities into a brighter, healthier future.”
“Credible, science-based research and information put forth by our trusted museums, including science and technology centers, libraries, and others in our cultural and educational universe is the key to vanquishing the pandemic,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “We are happy to support this important partnership.”
“We are thrilled to be able to do our part to end this pandemic,” says Caroline Payson. “Having the youngest among us vaccinated is the best way to prevent additional suffering.”
Communities for Immunity is an initiative of the Association of Science and Technology Centers, Institute of Museum and Library Services, American Alliance of Museums, and the Network of the National Library of Medicine, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in collaboration with the American Library Association, the Association of African American Museums, the Association of Children’s Museums, the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums, and the Urban Libraries Council.
Communities for Immunity builds on a number of earlier and ongoing efforts to activate engagement in vaccine confidence work, including REopening Archives, Libraries and Museums (REALM), a research partnership between OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Battelle; Vaccines & US, led by the Smithsonian and in collaboration with a range of partner organizations and individuals; Vaccinate with Confidence from the CDC; We Can Do This from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and the It’s Up to You campaign led by the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative. Learn more about Communities for Immunity.
The Providence Children’s Museum serves children and adults of all backgrounds and from all communities. Its focus is on children, ages 1 to 11, and the adults who care for them by presenting hands-on, play-based exhibits and programs that explore arts, culture and science, technology, engineering, and math.
About the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)
Founded in 1973, ASTC is a network of nearly 700 science and technology centers and museums, and allied organizations, engaging more than 110 million people annually across North America and in almost 50 countries. With its members and partners, ASTC works towards a vision of increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people. For more information, visit www.astc.org.