HAMMOND, La. — At North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond, the vaccination stations are set up and ready to go.
Saturday, more than 500 people will get their first Pfizer doses and go home with fifty bucks cash and they’ll get fifty dollars more for their second dose.
Staci Arcenaux of the North Oaks Foundation said the COVID 100 Initiative came together in just about a week.
“Our mission is to improve the health of the region, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with this initiative right now,” said Arcenaux.
The cash payouts for the COVID 100 Initiative come from 50-thousand dollars in private and business donations. 520 appointment slots filled up almost as soon as they were opened.
Chance Enmon’s father, Tom Enmon, came up with the idea and donated five thousand dollars to the North Oaks Foundation. The family’s company, Jani-King, matched it.
Soon, donations began pouring in and came from other companies, anonymous donors, the Sheriff and the District Attorney.
“Whatever it takes,” said Chance Enmon. “The more people we can get vaccinated, the more people we can keep safe in our community. It’s a community that we love, community that we have families and have grown our families here. I grew up here.”
Tangipahoa Parish is one of the least-vaccinated in Southeast Louisiana, at just 30.27 percent.
This clinic alone would move the needle almost a half a percent.
President Biden is endorsing these clinics, and Thursday asked leaders across the country to pay people to get vaccinated.
“Here's the deal, if incentives help us beat this virus, I believe we should use them,” Biden said at a press briefing Thursday.
North Oaks has halted elective surgeries, grappling with a surge in COVID cases like most hospitals in Louisiana.
Hospital officials are now hoping cash may keep Hammond residents out of their hospital beds.
“If that’s what it’ll take for people to come and get a vaccine, then we’ll do it,” said Arcenaux.
Saturday’s event is totally booked, but the North Oaks Foundation hopes more donations could come in for a second clinic day.
The hospital has also seen an increase in people walking in for vaccines without getting paid.