March 16, 2021 the Hon. Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. Governor of Maryland

March 16, 2021

The Hon. Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. Governor of Maryland 100 State Circle Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear Governor Hogan:

We are writing on behalf of Maryland Nonprofits that represents more than 1,000 nonprofit members from across the state of Maryland, and Maryland Latinos Unidos, a program of Maryland Nonprofits, representing Latino-led and Latino serving nonprofit organizations, and the signatories to this letter.

First, we thank you for your leadership and work with the General Assembly in quickly approving the Recovery for the Economy, Livelihoods, Industries, Entrepreneurs, and Families (RELIEF) Act, that will include funding for vaccine access, food banks, mental health and nonprofit organizations in this great time of need. But even with this assistance, the problem with of assuring equitable access and distribution with Covid-19 vaccines remains serious across the State.

Nonprofits are part of the essential workforce that delivers basic health and social services to communities across the state. Our members are increasingly concerned with the lack of equity in vaccine distribution to date, as well as the lack of clear plans on how we will expand vaccine access and adoption in Black, Latino and low-income communities. Nonprofits and faith-based organizations have the connections, trust, and knowledge of their local communities and must be provided resources and a

Maryland Nonprofits is the organizational home of Maryland Latinos Unidos.

1500 Union Ave, #2500 marylandnonprofits.org marylandlatinosunidos.org Baltimore, MD 21211

410-727-6367 [email protected] [email protected] regular forum with Maryland Department of Health to participate fully in vaccine access work. This is a race against the clock to get to zero infections in Maryland.

We are particularly concerned that communities hardest hit with COVID-19 continue to remain those with disproportionately lower vaccination rates. As just one example, Prince George’s County, the state’s hardest-hit county from COVID and the county with high numbers of Latino and Black residents has a vaccination rate less than half the state average (3.7% in Prince Georges County vs. 7.8% statewide) according to the data provided to the Senate Vaccine Oversight Workgroup on February 15, 2021. The data from Maryland Department of Health further outlines that only 15% of vaccines have been distributed to Black people who make up 31% of the state’s population and only 3.7% have been distributed to Hispanic people who make up 10% of the state’s population.

We must have a plan and greater community input to ensure equity and that we overcome the following barriers:

• Cost: Ensure vaccines are free and do not require copays.

• Internet Access: Expand opportunities for people without internet to obtain information and assistance in making appointments by phone.

• Transportation Access and Disability: Ensure people without transportation and people with disabilities are reached and can be vaccinated through a mobile site or have transportation provided.

• Outreach by Trusted Messengers: Ensure Black, Latino and other immigrant and low-income communities receive vaccine information in numerous ways from trusted messengers.

• Vaccine Site Placement and Mobile Vaccination Clinics: Ensure that vaccination sites are located in walking distance to where people live in communities with high numbers of Black, immigrant and low-income communities.

• Language Access: Ensure vaccine information is available in multiple languages and that vaccine administration sites are equipped with interpreters and health practitioners who are from the community and speak different languages.

• Vaccine Hesitancy: Ensure funding is provided to support partnerships with trusted organizations that can help address vaccine hesitancy in Black and Latino communities and across all Marylanders. We cannot underestimate the concerns that our neighbors face – particularly regarding the historical treatment of Black communities in the area of medical experimentation and of Latino communities in terms of deportation and detention. The current implementation of plans for vaccine distribution are not putting us in a position to tackle these real problems.

Nonprofits are particularly well suited to serve communities that experience barriers to vaccination. We ask that the nonprofit community be provided with a direct channel of input into the issue of vaccine access over the coming 6-12 months. We believe the nonprofit community can significantly add value to expand vaccine access and adoption across the State. Please engage us in a robust way as part of the vaccine solution in Maryland so we can bring our infection rates down to zero and get Maryland moving again!

Thank you for all you are doing to keep Maryland safe and moving forward amidst the pandemic.

Sincerely,

Heather Iliff Gabriela Lemus President & CEO Executive Director Maryland Nonprofits Maryland Latinos Unidos

Organizational Signatories:

• Adelante Latina! • AIDS Action Baltimore, Inc. • 365 Diversity • Amara Legal Center • Accessible Resources for • American Society of Plant Independence Incorporated Biologists • African American Community • AMMPARO Network DMV Roundtable of Howard County • Anacostia Watershed Society, Inc. • AfriThrive Inc • Association Activision • Agape Deliverance Ministries Inc 3

• Association of Community • Clinica Medica Primaria de Services of Howard County Rising Sun • B4U-ACT, Inc. • Communities United • Baltimore Association of • Community Action Council Nepalese in America (BANA) • Community Development • Baltimore Healthy Start, Inc. Network of Maryland • Baltimore Neighbors Network • Community Reach of • Baltimore Regional Housing Montgomery County Partnership • Cool & Associates LLC • Baltimore Rock Opera Society • Cornerstone Montgomery • BEACON House, Inc. • Cristata Cares • Behavioral Health Leadership • Crossroads Community Inc Institute • CSahm Foundation for ADHD • Black Doula Project Services and Support, LLC • Blind Industries and Services of • Culture Principles Maryland • Defensores de la Cuenca • B'More Clubhouse • DeLeon & Stang • Bon Secours Baltimore • DIJAH's Diverse Training Foundation Services • Boost Social Sector Consulting • Disability Rights Maryland LLC • DRU Mondawmin Healthy • Brain Injury Association of Families Inc. Maryland • Dundalk Renaissance Corporation • Bridges to Housing Stability, Inc. • DVS Legal Services, Inc. • BVM Foundation Inc. • ecoLatinos, Inc. • Calvert Library • El Poder de Ser Mujer • Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic • ElevateHER, Inc. • CANTORI CARES LLC • Elizabeth Seton High School • CASH Campaign of Maryland • Elmanda Maima Boakai • Catonsville Emergency Foundation Inc Assistance • Employ Prince George's • Cause Engagement Associates • Envision Frederick County, Inc LLC • Episcopal Diocese of MD • Cedar Ridge Children's Home and • Family League of Baltimore School, Inc. • FDR Community Outreach • Center of Help, Inc. Center, Inc • Challengers Independent Living • Fellowship Outreach Corporation, • Child Safety Squad Inc Inc • Children's Theatre of Annapolis • FIRN • Christian Shelter • FOZA Inc • Church on the Square 4

• Garwyn Oaks Northwest Housing • Integrity LLC Resource Center • Invest in Children of the world • GEDCO • It Takes Two, Inc • Gethsemane Baptist Church • Joycewayz • Goshen UMC • Judson Education Center • Grace Global Health Compassion, • Junior League of Baltimore Inc • Just Neighbors • Greater Baybrook Alliance • Kits to Heart • Greater Expectations Outreach • KSA Youth Foundation dba A+ Ministries Counseling Center-A+ Health • Habitat for Humanity Metro Center Maryland • Lakespring Associates • HARBEL Community • Laurel Advocacy and Referral Organization Services, Inc. • Harlem Park Community • Leadenhall Baptist Development Corporation • Leaders of Tomorrow Youth • HASA Center Inc • HeartSmart Foundation • League of Women Voters of • Help in the Home, LLC Baltimore City • Heritage Africa • League of Women Voters of • Hillside Work-Scholarship Maryland Connection • Let's Thrive Baltimore • HIP • Management Counsel, LTD & • Homeless Persons Representation LLC Project • Manna Food Center • HopeWell Cancer Support • Mary Kraft & Associates, Inc. • Horizon Foundation of Howard • Maryland Academy of Family County Physicians • Hospice of the Chesapeake • Maryland Alliance of Public • Housing Options & Planning Charter Schools Enterprises, Inc. • Maryland Center on Economic • Howard County Autism Society Policy • iFLY Youth • Maryland Citizens' Health • I'm Bruised But Not Broken, Inc Initiative • Immigration Outreach Service • Maryland Coalition Against Center Sexual Assault • In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT) • Maryland Coalition of Families • In Reach, Inc. • Maryland Episcopal Public Policy • Independence Now Network; Anne Arundel County • Integrative Management Human Relations Commission Solutions, LLC • Maryland Hunger Solutions 5

• Maryland Network Against • Owen Community Healthcare Domestic Violence Center, Inc. • Maryland New Directions • Palomino Media Group LLC • Maryland Nonprofits • Park Heights Renaissance • Maryland Public Health • Planned Parenthood of Maryland Association • Planned Parenthood of • Maryland Resource Parent Assoc. Metropolitan Washington, DC • Maryland Rural Health • Power Jam Music Alliance Inc. Association • Power52 Foundation • Maryland Veterinary Technician • Prensa Libre de Maryland Association • Pressley Ridge • Maryland Volunteer Lawyers • Proyecto Salud Clinic Service • Public Justice Center • Mary's Center for Maternal and • Quixote Center Child Care • Rebuild Johnston Neighborhood • Mason-Dixon Community Org Services, Inc. • Rebuilding Together Howard • McJoy's Joy Covenant County • MD Association of Community • Recovery Coalition of Maryland Services • Redstart Creative • MD Coalition of Families • Reflections of Christ • Mid County United Ministries, • Reggie Prostate Cancer Inc. Foundation • Mikros Group, LLC • Retreat Center of Maryland • Minority Access, Inc. • Saltzberg Consulting • Monterey Institute of Natural • Sankofa Children's Museum of Medicine African Cultures • Montgomery County Food • Second Chance Christian Center Council • Second Chances Garage • NAMI Howard County • Solutions in Hometown • NAMI Maryland Connections • NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore, • South Asian Americans Leading Inc. Together (SAALT) • National Center for Children and • St. Francis Neighborhood Center Families (NCCF) • St. Luke's Church on the Avenue • National Great Blacks in Wax • STAR Scholars Network Museum • Steadfast, Standing Firm Against • NKWA Foundation Inc Youth Homelessness • Nonprofit Village • Stella's Girls • Omicron Delta Sigma • Street Angel Project Inc • Outcast Food Network • Strong City Baltimore 6

• Sunshine Projects • Unforeseen Visions Inc. • Susanna Wesley House • United Way of Central Maryland • Adams & Associates • United Way of Frederick County • Taking the Lead, Inc. • Upcounty Community Resources, • The Arc Baltimore, Inc. Inc. • The Board Room Chess • Venezuela Children's Foundation • The Clarion Call, Inc. • Victory of Hope Outreach • The Community Group Inc Ministry • The Coordinating Center • Wide Angle Youth Media • The Freedom Center, Inc. • Wilcome Human Services, Inc. • The Great Commission Network • Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center, Foundation Inc • The Harford Center, Inc • WIN Family Services • The Helen J. Serini Foundation • Women's Housing Coalition • The Law Help Center, Inc • The Maryland Umbrella Group • The National Center for Children and Families • The Parents' Place of MD • The Pro Bono Counseling Project • The Training Source, Inc. • The Word Woman LLC • Trellis Partners • Tri-County Youth Services Bureau, Inc.

Individual Signatories:

• Kiria Abreu Jimenez • Erin Ashinghurst • Alfreda Adams • Veronica Atkinson • Lydia Alcock • Sheila Barnes-Jones • Karen Allen • Mrs. Danielle Duran Baron • Maria Alvarez-Ryan • Ronald Barrett • Bathsheba Amante • Kathryn Barron • Jamie Anderson • Elizabeth Bauer • Alnita Anderson-Sherrill • Diane Beaver • Melanie Andrews • Jill Berry • Violet M. Apple • Armalia Berry-Washington • Arlen Asher 7

• Alice M. Bishop Manyarara • Robyn Durchanek • John Bjork • Jennfer Evans • Tammy Black • Carol Fernandez • Jamila Blake • Latia Few • Meryl Bloomrosen • Leah Fisher • Linda Boyd • Silvia D. Flores • Natalie Browne • Kenitra Fokwa • Ms. Carol Bruce • Janice Foreman • Carol Burdette • Douglas Fox • Ericka Burke • Dana Frederick • Jasmine Campbell • Lucile Freeman • Robert Cannon • Emily Frias • Kimberly Carter • Cesiah Fuentes • Colleen Cates • Bruce Fulton • Joyce Cavey • Donna Gaither • Marjani Cephus • Stuart Galonoy • Melanie Cerritos • Wendy Garcia • Kathy Charles-Christian • Deirdre Gardner • Linfeng Chen • Jeanette Gatewood • Nicholas Cohen • Nova Getz • Christopher Costello • John Gilpin • The Rt. Rev. Michael W. • Maran Gluckstein Creighton • Lorraine Godfrey • Melissa Curtin • Linda Green • Anne Dailey • Lisa Greene • Lisa Danaczko • Barbara Greene-Brooks • Ms. Gloria Daniels • Alberto Grosmark • Sandra Davis • Cathyann Grundmayer • Debra Delavan • Tanya Gunn • Elizabeth Delens • Elizabeth Guthrie • Angie Deras • María Gutiérrez • Melanee Derenzy • Anita Hammond • Deepak Dewaly • Valeri Hampton • Olivia Dewitt • Daia Hansford • Erin Donovan • Bambi Harmon • Maria Dontas • Bonnie Harry • Ms. Erin Lorraine Dozier • Jonathan Haskett

• Jocelyn Hauer • Krystal Lighty • Anne Hefter • Rosa Lily • Mrs. Suzanne Eggleston • Melissa Lima Henneman • Glenda Lindsey • Minda Heyman • Onyx Linthicum • Kim Hicks • Ruth Louie • Donna Hill Staton • Christopher Lowe • Jack Hodges • Mary Luzier • Laura Holland • Ms. Kathleen Lyon • Mark Houck • Julie Ma • Walter Howard • Kristopher Madore • Yvonne Howard • Ashleigh Maples • Laura Howard • Rita Marth • Kate Hull • Paula Martin • Francine Hyman • Felix Martinez • Emily Isbell • Gicel Martinez • Debra Jacobs • Amy Martinez Sanchez • Dr. Linda C. Janey • Ms. Barbara I. Mason • María Jarrin • Barbara Mason • Judy M. Jenkins • Adrienne Mcbride • Barbara Johnson • Jim Mccomb • Vicki L. Jones • Laura Mcconnell • Mrs. Silvia Guadalupe Juarez • Rev. Amy Mccullough • Patti Kane • Tracey Mcintire • Nickole Kanyuch • Tanya Mech • Camara Arielle Kelly • Angela Miller • Elizabeth Kendall • Gustavo Minaya • Rebekah King • Monteith Mitchell • Amy Knesel • Ana Astrid Molina • Jessica Kohnen • Carolina Moppett • Sharon Krevor-Weisbaum • Jessica Morgan • Shoshana Kronfeld • Lynn Mortoro • Peter Lane • Marion Mudd • Megan Larocque • Mahasti Mudd • Sophia Lawson • Jon Munn • Sasha Ledesma • Kecia Munroe • Franny Lerner • Rachel Muzakir

• Andre Myers • Jean Rosenberg • Toyia Nash Lyda • Julie Rosicky • Mrs. Monica Nazelrod • Michelle Ross • Nancy Newman • Melissa Rothstein • Margaret Ann Nolan • Ford Rowan • Beth Nowak • Elizabeth Roybal • Alexandra O'Keefe • Rachel Rutherford • Cindy O'Neill • Andrew Sacchetti • Sima Osdoby • Barbara Samuels • Katrina Ositelu • Jeffrey Samuels • Rachel Anne Pagador • Nikia Sankofa • Kenneth Phelps • Mark Scallion • Julia Pierson • Mrs. Robin Weber Schaffer • Patricia Prasada-Rao • Katherine Scherr-Adams • Edmund Preston • Cathy Schmidt • Leni Preston • Dee Schofield • Lawrence Joseph Prikockis • William Scipio • Premjotee Pundu • Sally Scott • Kelly Quinn • Audrey Sellers • Robert Rausch • Khalida Senghori • Vanessa Ray • Jana Serini • Lynda Raybuck • Katharine Shahinian • Jennifer Renault • Kelly Shamah • Cheri Michelle Reulet • Robert Sheehan • Elizabeth Rice • Dana Vickers Shelley • Beth Sperber Richie • Emily Shetty • Margaret Karen Rist • Cynthia Shifler • Linda Rittelmann • Mr. Walter L. Simmons • Nicole Rivera • Ann Simpers • Jeffrey Riviera-Sanabria • Margo Sipes • Patricia Robinson • L. Smith • Bernadette Roche • Ashley Smith • Saraiah Rodriguez Rust • Sara Smoley • Mary Roeder • Sonia Socha • Ashley Rogers • John Spillane • Katina Rojas Nazario-Joy • Walter Staveloz • Juliet Ronhovde • Alan Stein

• Betsy Stephens • Nancy Winchester • Mrs. Susan Stern • Conner Wolfe • Patricia Sullivan • Wendy Wolff • Christa Sumpter • Rev. Daniel C. Wood • Robin Talbert • Alicia Wopat • Najma Talib • Courtney Workman • Crispin Taylor • Sandi Worthman • Dawn Taylor • Amy Elaine Yasneski • Meena Tharmaratnam • Deacon Corby Zeren • Tina Thomas • Caryssa Thomas • Marina Thompson • Tica Torres • Kelly Umana • Frank Valdivieso • J.J. Vancura • Jennifer Vancura • Mrs. Ecola Virgil • Ms. Michelle D. Waller • Jia Bei Wang • Latonya Ward • Anthony Washington • Carolyn Washington • Ms. Carolyn E. Watson • Kimberly Weiner • Angela Wells-Sims • Rachel Werner • Joanna White • David Whiteman • Nancy Wiley • Carolyn Wilkins • Jane Willeboordse • Ms. Lisa Malvotia Williams • Clifton Williams • Roland Williams • Vickie Williams • Gordon Williams