ClubCare by BGC

Health care access

East LA

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

During the pandemic, families at our public housing sites lacked access or were distrustful of getting the Covid vaccine so we leveraged our position as a trusted community partner to encourage our families to be vaccinated and utilized our Mobile Pop-Up Club as a mobile clinic to get vaccines to the community. We also use our Mobile Wellness Clinic to bring social emotional wellness programs and mental health services to youth in our PH sites. Post pandemic, the mental health needs of our youth have only increased, and there is obvious demand to include families in those services as well in order to holistically address issues.
Since we deal with an immigrant population, fear of deportation can keep our families from taking care of basic health and mental health needs. There is a lot of distrust around showing up for health and counseling appointments, as well as for receiving vaccines. The fact The Club is a trusted partner makes it easier to get these services to these families.

ClubCare is a new health and wellness initiative from the Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley, in partnership with Future Hope Pharmacy in Boyle Heights, created to address health inequities and promote ongoing wellness and prevention in the East Los Angeles community through a variety of strategies, including wellness checks, vaccine promotion and administration, and social emotional wellness and mental health supports.
The Club has partnered with Hope Outreach, a local health organization dedicated to facilitating access and equity for underserved communities, along with supporting future leaders and organizations who share a common interest and passion for improving healthcare access for those in need. The Club is a trusted community partner on whom residents rely, both on a day-to-day basis and especially during times of crisis. Together we have recently opened Future Hope Pharmacy in Boyle Heights, and are using this as a home base for health outreach efforts.
The goal of ClubCare is to ensure families in need have access to: a) vaccines and basic healthcare screenings; b) pharmaceutical case management, to help ensure families have consistent access to needed medications, basic health care, and necessary vaccines; and c) social emotional wellness and mental health programs to heal families and help them deal with the stressors in their lives.

If ClubCare is successful, East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights will serve as a model for how community-rooted solutions can reduce long-standing health inequities. Families who have historically lacked access to care due to cost, location, or language barriers will have a trusted, culturally competent place to turn for vaccines, screenings, and medication. Preventable illnesses will decline, children will be healthier and more ready to learn, and caregivers will face fewer barriers to supporting family well-being. Mental health will be de-stigmatized through access to social-emotional supports, helping families manage stress and trauma. ClubCare will strengthen outcomes across education, health, and economic stability—contributing to a healthier, more resilient Los Angeles County.