From the North Shore Health Care Foundation - August 3, 2021

Local teens who become fully-vaccinated will be eligible to win cash prizes this fall. The North Shore Health Care Foundation in partnership with the local COVID-19 Incident Management Team is providing $500 in cash prizes through the COVID-19 Medical Response Fund to encourage local youth to complete the vaccination process. Five Visa Gift Cards in the amounts of: $150, $125, $100, $75 and $50 will be drawn through a raffle at the end of October. Anyone ages 12-18, who has received both vaccinations will be eligible to win. 

“We want to ensure that our kids and local community are protected as best as possible,” said Valerie Marasco Eliasen, Executive Director – North Shore Health Care Foundation. “The raffle and the gift cards which our young people receive at each vaccination certainly provide a little extra bonus for completing both vaccinations and helps contribute to a healthy community, especially as they head back to school, sports and activities.” 

Youth receive a $5 Dairy Queen gift card upon completion of the first vaccination and a $10 Subway gift card when they return for the second dose. The raffle for the grand prizes will take place Friday, Oct 29, 2021. Winners will be contacted. 

“We know that there can be difficulty getting youth to come back and complete the second dose of the vaccine, that has been a trend across the country,” Grace Grinager, Public Health Supervisor - Cook County Public Health & Human Services. “Bonuses like the raffle and gift cards are an extra incentive for them to complete the full process and contribute to community immunity. We are fortunate in Cook County to have the COVID-19 Medical Response Fund and the support of the North Shore Health Care Foundation to have made our local vaccination process swift and effective. To date, we have done extremely well as a community and want to make sure that continues as kids and families face another school year and return to group settings and indoor activities.” 

Those who have already completed their second dose of the vaccine can register for the raffle online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cook-county-mn-youth-vaccination-raffle-tickets-165966804179. Raffle ballots will be available at the Back-To-School Vaccination events starting Aug. 11, for anyone who attends and completes their vaccinations. Details for these events can be found on the Cook County COVID Response Hub at: CookCountyCovid19.org. Youth who attend the upcoming vaccination events will also receive a complimentary Mindfulness Coloring Book: Advanced Designs for Relaxation and Anti-Stress along with a pack of colored pencils, to promote mental wellbeing as we transition into a new school year. The North Shore Health Care Foundation is an independent, registered non-profit 501(c)(3) who works to address health care gaps and needs in Cook County and support local health and emergency services. The Foundation created the COVID-19 Medical Response Fund in April 2020 on behalf of the Cook County Emergency Operations Center. 

“We believe in the possibilities of people, organizations, businesses, and governments working together to cre­ate healthy communities for all in Cook County,” said Valerie Marasco Eliasen, NSHCF Executive Director. “So, when the opportunity arose to establish the COVID-19 Medical Response Fund, the Foundation was pleased to direct $20,000 of our annual grant funding to leverage community donations and make sure our providers have the resources they need to respond locally and continue operations during this challenging and unprecedented time. This is one example of how the Foundation was able to be nimble to address gaps and needs in Cook County.”