SCO Family of Services Partners with NYC Health + Hospitals to Lead Community Outreach Promoting COVID-19 Awareness and Testing

SCO Family of Services is taking on a new role in the communities we serve to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and help New Yorkers get tested. In conjunction with NYC’s Testing & Tracing Program, SCO is sending teams of outreach coordinators into Sunset Park, East Elmhurst/Corona, Far Rockaway, and the South Bronx with educational materials, masks, and information on how to get tested for free right in the neighborhood. The public health program is led by NYC Health + Hospitals in close collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and other city agencies.  

Our work with NYC Health + Hospitals helps New Yorkers receive FREE, safe and confidential testing for COVID-19 and the antibody. It ensures that anyone with the virus receives care, and can safely isolate to prevent the spread. To help New Yorkers navigate this process, The Corps has activated a specialized group of Contact Tracers to provide resources and support every step of the way.  

On Sunday, August 3, our outreach team and ambassadors handed out 1140 educational flyers and 1140 face masks to residents and 570 posters to local bakeries, barbershops, bodegas, salons, churches, pharmacies, restaurants, and supermarkets in Queens and Brooklyn.  

On Tuesday, August 18, we hosted “Get Tested Tuesday” at our Center for Family Life location in Sunset Park, where we distributed over 1,750 masks and 26,100 educational flyers with information on getting tested Mayor Bill de Blasio attended the event where he met with our team and community residents to talk about the importance of getting tested and protecting yourself and loved ones.  

In the coming weeks, our teams will be appearing at pop-up locations throughout NYC. To find a testing site, visit nyc.gov/covidtest, or text “COVID test” to 855-48. Learn more at testandtrace.nyc. We can all do our part to #FightCOVIDNYC by washing our hands, social distancing, wearing a mask, and staying home if you are sick.