Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Advertisement
    • Contact Us
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Advertise With Us
    • Home
      • COVID-19 Resource Center
        • Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ PSA Radio
      • Featured
    • News
      • State
      • Local
      • National/International News
      • Global
      • Business
        • Commentary
        • Finance
        • Local Business
      • Investigative Stories
        • Affordable Housing
        • DCS Investigation
        • Gentrification
    • Editorial
      • National Politics
      • Local News
      • Local Editorial
      • Political Editorial
      • Editorial Cartoons
      • Cycle of Shame
    • Community
      • History
      • Tennessee
        • Chattanooga
        • Clarksville
        • Knoxville
        • Memphis
      • Public Notices
      • Women
        • Let’s Talk with Ms. June
    • Education
      • College
        • American Baptist College
        • Belmont University
        • Fisk
        • HBCU
        • Meharry
        • MTSU
        • University of Tennessee
        • TSU
        • Vanderbilt
      • Elementary
      • High School
    • Lifestyle
      • Art
      • Auto
      • Tribune Travel
      • Entertainment
        • 5 Questions With
        • Books
        • Events
        • Film Review
        • Local Entertainment
      • Family
      • Food
        • Drinks
      • Health & Wellness
      • Home & Garden
      • Featured Books
    • Religion
      • National Religion
      • Local Religion
      • Obituaries
        • National Obituaries
        • Local Obituaries
      • Faith Commentary
    • Sports
      • MLB
        • Sounds
      • NBA
      • NCAA
      • NFL
        • Predators
        • Titans
      • NHL
      • Other Sports
      • Golf
      • Professional Sports
      • Sports Commentary
      • Metro Sports
    • Media
      • Video
      • Photo Galleries
      • Take 10
      • Trending With The Tribune
    • Classified
    • Obituaries
      • Local Obituaries
      • National Obituaries
    The Tennessee TribuneThe Tennessee Tribune
    Knoxville

    Faith Leaders Initiative: 80,000 Lives Later

    Vivian Underwood ShipeBy Vivian Underwood ShipeSeptember 1, 2021No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr Reddit Email
    Cynthia Finch, 2nd from right, stands with volunteers from all walks of life at weekly vaccine clinics.
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Vivian Shipe

    KNOXVILLE, TN — It’s been 15 months since Cynthia Finch and Gwen McKenzie sat down to develop a plan to educate the Black churches about the dangers of going back into their

    sanctuaries in the height of the COVID 19 surge.

    Forty church leaders representing thousands of African Americans were on that first call. In the year and a half since the weekly one hour meetings began on Thursday evenings, the number of those educated and vaccinated has grown to over 180 organizations across the state and the nation,  raising the numbers of those vaccinated, tested, and informed with the facts to over 80,000 and counting.

     The meetings have put the African American churches on the fore front  with first hand

    Dr. Joseph Childs, Chief Medical Officer of East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville

    information about COVID and vaccine issues  as top subject matter experts from the CDC, Washington DC, and other national leaders have joined the calls week after week . Most recently the Chief Medical Officer of East Tennessee  Children’s Hospital in Knoxville, Dr. Joseph Childs  joined the call to speak of the number of children filling the hospitals with COVID -19.

    Others have brought information straight to this group first, a group who was determined “not to

    be left behind” and who are instead, leading the way as subject matter experts like,  Dr. Keith Gray, Chief Medical Officer – UT Medical Center. Dr. William Smith, CEO & Scientist, AMR – Alliance Multi speciality Research. Dr. Ken Taylor, MD, Epidemiologist, Atlanta, GA, and Jennifer Holden, and Kathy Mack – City of Knoxville, Housing and Community Sustainability support have shared facts every week.

    The journey has been like no other ever seen or attempted. Finch  shared the following statement:

    Weekly vaccine clinic held by Faith Leaders with concentration on youth getting shots.

    “The Faith Leaders Church Initiative has been a coalition movement of faith leaders of all walks. It has created a synergy in our community like nothing before. Various level of people and professionals engaging in a conversation about real baseline community issues. Issues around health care, economics, faith and networking. A diverse volunteer base has been created. New levels of leadership have been created. People whose paths would never have crossed are talking to each other. This coalition can be sustained because it’s been a year and we are still together.

    Finch also spoke of community care. She said, “We have continually been working together, talking and taking care of our community. The 3 T’s. First it was the 3 P’s – Planning, Preparing and Praying. Next, it was the 3 V’s – Volunteers, Venues = Vaccines. At the end of the day that’s what Community is about “Taking Care of Each Other. Listen, this work has saved life’s. I feel fulfilled as a health care clinician. I just feel “Blessed”. Our community is blessed because of our work.”

    The next level in the COVID war by the Initiative begins next week and involves holding virtual town hall meetings to educate about the vaccine and the new variants. Anyone is welcome to join the zoom.

    The weekly vaccine clinics held by the Initiative are now also prepping to begin giving the third booster shots to those immune compromised.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Vivian Underwood Shipe

    Related Posts

    Knoxville’s Beck Met Gala Raises $25,000

    May 15, 2025

    GRSM Opens Knoxville Office to Support Growing Demand Across Southern Region

    May 14, 2025

    Attorney Ben Crump Seeks Answers in Knoxville: “No One Can Explain Why They Killed Him”

    April 24, 2025

    Jackie’s Dream: A Homerun for Smokey’s Stadium

    April 1, 2025

    Black K.A.R.E. Health Fair: The Links Inc. Promotes Kidney Awareness

    February 27, 2025

    Mary Goins Celebrates 104 Years

    February 19, 2025

    Comments are closed.

    Business

    Charlotte Knight Griffin Takes Office as TBA President-Elect

    June 30, 2025

    EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

    June 19, 2025

    FUNdraising Good Times Report from Neighborhoods USA Conference in Jacksonville

    June 4, 2025
    1 2 3 … 384 Next
    Education
    Education

    Austin Peay’s MPH program receives $27K for childhood literacy initiative. Community LIFT Project to be implemented at Head Start centers this fall

    By Ethan SteinquestJune 30, 2025

    CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University’s Master of Public Health program is on a…

    TSU, State, reach agreement to reallocate $96M to school

    June 26, 2025

    TSU student lands prestigious internship at Harvard Medical School

    June 25, 2025

    FAMU stakeholders file lawsuit to prevent Marva Johnson’s confirmation as the university’s 13th President

    June 21, 2025
    The Tennessee Tribune
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • About Us
    • Digital Subscription
    • Store
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact
    © 2025 The Tennessee Tribune - Site Designed by No Regret Media.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Our Spring Sale Has Started

    You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/