Flu Vaccines for Those in Need: A Moving Waters & Walgreens Collaboration

In October, Moving Waters partnered with Walgreens to provide flu shots to those in need. People who are unhoused often face numerous systemic and personal barriers when it comes to accessing vaccines. These challenges include: 

• Access and transportation: Getting to and from vaccination sites can be difficult without reliable transportation. 

• Limited documentation: Many vaccination programs require ID or insurance information, which unhoused individuals may not have. 

• Competing priorities: When survival needs like food and shelter take precedence, healthcare can fall to the background. 

In the 2024–2025 flu season, the CDC reported a cumulative hospitalization rate of 127.1 per 100,000 in the U.S., nearly double the median rate from previous seasons. While it’s difficult to know exactly how many unhoused individuals go without the flu vaccine, this community experiences disproportionately high rates of influenza and other health challenges. With limited access to clinics, it is important to ensure the unhoused population receives necessary treatments during peak flu seasons. 

Thanks to our partnership with Walgreens, Moving Waters was able to administer 25 flu vaccines during our shower service event at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Providing the vaccine in a familiar, trusted location helped remove barriers and made healthcare more accessible for participants.