INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis church on the east side will play host to a COVID-19 testing site to address the disproportionate impact the novel coronavirus is having on the black community.
"Hopefully this is going to bring in that community, equal testing and equal remedy," Pastor Jeffrey Johnson Sr. said about plans to use Eastern Star Church as a COVID-19 testing site. "When we discovered that the area that we're in is one of the hot spots, over in Arlington Woods, and Dr. Virginia Caine asked if they could use the facility I said yes."
Celebrating 100 years, Eastern Star Church has thousands of members throughout Indianapolis. They're hoping their century of ministry and community participation will help bring people in for testing.
"We now have the opportunity to be the answer to the prayer we've been praying," Johnson said.
Since the state released data showing African-Americans are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, RTV6 has talked to people in public policy and grassroots community organizations. They all agree, a testing effort like this at a place that so many African-Americans know and trust is a step in the right direction.
Once the pandemic is over, Johnson has faith the issues that have caused the African-American community to be so overly impacted by COVID-19 will be addressed.
"Food, jobs, education and the things that so often black and brown communities lack, now things are going to start to happen," Johnson said. "God is going to bring something great out of this situation."
