UMKC partnering with area churches

UMKC is partnering with churches to get COVID-19 testing to underserved communities.

THIS MORNING, WE'RETAKING A CLOSER LOOK ATCOVID-19 TESTING INUNDERSERVEDCOMMUNITIES.A FEDERAL GRANT ISHELPING UMKC PARTNERWITH AREA CHURCHES TOCARRY OUT THIS EFFORT.BRYANT MADDRICK IS LIVEAT UMKC THIS MORNING TOTELL US MORE ABOUTTESTING EFFORTS ANDWHY CHURCHES AREBEING INCLUDED.OFFICIALS HERE AT UMKCTELL ME CHURCHES HAVEAN ESTABLISHED TRUSTWITH THEIRCONGREGANTS ANDPEOPLE IN THENEIGHBORHOOD.THEY'RE HOPING TO USETHAT TRUST TO GETPEOPLE WHO ARE OFTENOVERLOOKED TESTED.VO:CHURCHES WORK ONSAVING SOULS.NOW, THEY'RE BEINGRECRUITED TO SAVELIVES.SOT5:18 We know that churcheshave been the cornerstone ofproviding education wheneducation wasn"t availablefor many African Americans.VO:THE EDUCATION IS ABOUTCOVID-19 AND THEIMPORTANCE OF GETTINGTESTED.A 1 POINT 9 MILLIONDOLLAR FEDERAL GRANTWAS AWARDED TO UMKCTO IMPROVE TESTING INKANSAS CITY'S UNDER-SERVED NEIGHBORHOODS.NOW THE UNIVERSITY ISTEAMING UP WITH 16 AREACHURCHES.JANNETTE BERKLEY-PATTON WITH UMKC'SSCHOOL OF MEDICINEEXPLAINS HOW IT WORKS.SOT8:09-SWe"ll be working withthe Kansas City HealthDepartment to provideCOVID19 testing at the churchsites.

In many cases, it will bein their parking lots as a drivethrough testing event.

In somecases it will be in thefellowship hall with allprecautions taken.

8:26VO:AT CALVARY TEMPLEBAPTIST CHURCH,REVEREND ERIC WILLIAMSSAYS HE HAS TALKED WITHUMKC, BUT SAYS HISCHURCH IS ALREADYTAKING ACTION TO MAKESURE HIS MEMBERS ARESAFE.SOT:8:31 We're doing a lot oftelephone calling and textingand emails using as muchelectronic media as we can toget the messages out." 8:42VO:THE MAIN MESSAGE FROMREVEREND WILLIAMS -MAKE SURE YOUR HEALTHAND FAITH ARE EQUALLYSTRONG DURING THISPANDEMIC.SOT:12:28-12:32"It means a lot to us when wesee healthy, whole people."PARTICIPATING CHURCHESSHOULD BE ANNOUNCEDAFTER THE NEW YEAR.UMKC SAYS THEY HOPE TOSTART TESTING BY EARLYSPRING OF 2021, MOSTLIKELY BY MARCH.BACK TO YOU.BRYANT, IS UMKCLOOKING AT THE SIZE OF ACHURCH TO CARRY OUTTHE TESTING.IM TOLD THEY PLAN TOPARTNER WITH CHURCHESOF ALL SIZES, LARGE,MEDIUM AND SMALL TOMAKE SURE THEY"REREACHING EVERYONE INTHE COMMUNITY.REPORTING LIVE - IMBRYANT MADDRICK - 41ACTION NEWS.