April 15, 2021


On April 15, 2021, VNA Health Care joined with the City of Aurora and Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple leaders to vaccinate Aurora’s South Asian and Southeast Asian residents and neighbors at the former Carson Pirie Scott location at the Fox Valley Mall in Aurora.

This vaccination event was made possible with help and support from local community leaders. Speakers at the press conference prior to the clinic opening included City of Aurora Mayor, Richard C. Irvin and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi via video link; City of Aurora Alderwoman-Elect Shweta Baid; Dr. Venkata S. Musunuru, Chairman, Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple; and Roopa Anjanappa, Chairwoman of the Aurora Indian American Community Outreach Advisory Board.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees and management of the Balaji temple, I extend my sincere appreciation and thanks to VNA and its management, City of Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irwin and staff Michael Pegue, Clayton Muhammad and Alderwomen Scheketa Hart-Burns and Alderwomen-Elect Shweta Baid for their support and participation in the Indian Vax program on 4-15-2021. It was a great joint effort to organize and reach out to various groups of people in the community. VNA is truly a Nightingalean order. Thanks to everybody who participated in protecting our communities against this terrible disease,” said Dr. V Musunuru, Chairman, Balaji Temple.

VNA Health Care and the City of Aurora are focused on increasing vaccine equity and decreasing vaccine hesitancy by collaborating on a series of mass vaccination events. Locally and nationally, minority populations have been disproportionately diagnosed and hospitalized and have died from COVID-19.

“VNA staff have administered over 25,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far and we were thrilled to vaccinate 750 more individuals at Indian Vax Aurora,” said Linnea Windel, President and CEO, VNA Health Care.