Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Walmart Inc., and the YMCA of Greater Kansas City announced a COVID-19 vaccine partnership beginning Thursday, February 26, and occurring each week for the next six weeks, which will vaccinate more than 3,500 eligible Kansas Citians in zip codes with lowest life expectancy.

Walmart will host these vaccination clinics at a Kansas City YMCA, utilizing a vaccine allotment provided directly to Walmart by the federal government. These vaccines do not pull from, nor will alter, Kansas City’s weekly vaccine allotment from the State of Missouri.

Eligible Kansas Citians will be notified of this vaccination opportunity by the Kansas City Health Department. For safety and security reasons, the particular YMCA location will be disclosed only to those eligible to receive a vaccine through this partnership. Due to a very limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, walk-ups will not be accepted.

“As my office and the City continue our work to ensure equitable vaccine distribution, I am proud this vaccine allotment through our partnership with Walmart will be getting to Kansas Citians who need vaccines the most,” said Mayor Lucas. “The Kansas City Health Department has identified and has begun notifying eligible Kansas Citians of this opportunity via email and phone call, to ensure those without regular access to internet who need a vaccine will not be skipped over. As we continue vaccine rollout, we will not leave anyone behind. I thank Walmart, the YMCA, and our COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force for their quick and diligent work, and I look forward to continued partnerships such as this moving forward.”

“We have two goals as we administer vaccines: first, to get as many shots in eligible arms as possible so we can start the process of reopening our country, and second, ensuring equitable vaccine access across the communities we serve,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Executive Vice President, Health & Wellness, Walmart. “We will continue finding new ways to increase vaccination access for our customers as we work towards the eventual end of the pandemic.”

"The Y is proud to partner with the task force to provide vaccines in vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately affected by the health and economic impacts of COVID-19," said John Mikos, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. "Offering our space to improve vaccine equity is one way the Y can deliver on our mission to make sure all in our community have access to the resources they need to thrive."

“The COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force is pleased to assist in the coordination of this multi-week mass-vaccination event,” said Renita Mollman, chair of the Kansas City COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. “Our Task Force was charged with helping ensure efficient and equitable vaccine rollout, and this event is but one example of ways the community can come together to protect our most vulnerable. We appreciate Walmart’s partnership and look forward to more events in the future.”

Kansas Citians interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine should complete the City’s online interest form in English or Spanish, or call 311. The Kansas City Health Department continues to utilize this list as it works to pair interested Kansas Citians with vaccines. To date, more than 4,800 Kansas Citians who have filled out this online form have been paired with a vaccine.