Central Health helps minority-owned businesses in areas with high COVID-19 infection rates

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Central Health launched a COVID-19 campaign to help communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

‘Protect yourself, protect your family’ is the message of Central Health’s new campaign. It’s focusing on neighborhoods that have the highest infection rates in Travis County. The goal is to get much-needed personal protective equipment to businesses struggling right now.

In Manor, off the beaten path is where you’ll find Marisol Ramos’ family business.

“We’ve been here in Manor for almost 17 years already. The atmosphere is a feeling that you’re at home, and it’s family owned,” said Ramos.

Ramos says PPE has been, at times, difficult to find. When there’s a shortage, she often shares with other local businesses. It also costs her family restaurant an additional $500 a month.

“We’re willing to do it to keep everyone safe,” said Ramos.

Central Health is helping fill that gap by giving PPE kits to the Ramos restaurants and hundreds of other businesses in zip codes hardest hit by COVID-19. The kits have masks, gloves, sanitizer and COVID-19 flyers to inform communities of color.

“During this pandemic, we’ve realized some communities have a harder time getting information,” said Ted Burton with Central Health.

Burton is talking about Latino and Black communities in particular. They are the two main groups the ‘Protect yourself, protect your family’ campaign focuses on.

“We realized, maybe we could get in contact with businesses — trusted businesses. Maybe it’s the place your family goes to eat, barber shops, hair salons,” said Burton.

Central Health plans to hand out 300 more kits in the near future and continue with its mission if the need continues.