Supporting Communities – One Child at a Time

Providing care for children who lack insurance has long been essential to our mission.  In 1927, the (then) DNA vaccinated 74 children against diphtheria and we have continued this tradition with Well-Child clinics in our Ridgefield office.

During the pandemic, our community health team recognized an urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines among low-income families in Danbury. This led to a partnership with Danbury Public Schools and Social Services to identify children in need. Now RVNAhealth offers monthly Well-Child clinics so these children can get the immunizations necessary to attend school and participate in sports and other activities. So far, our Danbury clinics have served over 400 children, and we have provided 750 vaccines! In 2024, we plan to offer Well-Child Clinics from our New Milford office as well.

Our clinics provide children with a full physical examination by a medical doctor, plus hearing and vision examinations, all school-required immunizations, including the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as urinalysis, anemia screenings, height and weight measurements, tuberculosis screening, and blood pressure checks.

RVNAhealth services also include translating and interpreting medical/vaccine records, updating the state database, and sending forms to schools. Our Community Health staff follows up in subsequent months to ensure students complete their vaccine series. Without this oversight, such follow-up typically falls through the cracks for children who do not have a primary care provider.

In addition, families also have an opportunity to meet with an RVNAhealth social worker who can connect them with resources and help them navigate the process of enrolling in health insurance and other benefits. We also provide each family with a bag of groceries through our partnership with Community Food Rescue.

Donor support is crucial for this program and donors help in so many meaningful ways: From annual fund donations, gifts of backpacks, early-reader books in Spanish and Portuguese, and packages of toiletries, to legacy gifts that ensure the future of this program. As one donor put it, “RVNAhealth isn’t just helping one child, you are helping whole families.”

For more information on how you can support RVNAhealth Well Child Clinics, contact Jennifer Christensen (jchristensen@rvnahealth.org) or call (203) 438-5555, x1052.