Whether you’re a North Carolina fan, a Kansas fan or simply a fan of NCAA basketball, we know lots of eyes will be on these two teams tonight for college basketball’s championship game.

At a moment when sports rivalries are center stage, we thought we’d take the opportunity to point out some bridgebuilding going on in the Carolinas – not on the basketball court, perhaps, but in places where Carolinians need it most.

Bridge Builders Carolinas is working in partnership with IFYC to leverage interfaith relationships to bridge gaps in COVID-19 vaccination access and education. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that vaccination and booster shot rates in both North and South Carolina lag behind national averages. Helped by a $1 million grant from The Duke Endowment, students and educators from 18 campuses across both states are working to get more Carolinians vaccinated.

Participants include Queens University student Lucca Ferreira, a student ambassador and storytelling intern, and Jackson Kakwenya, a student at Johnson C. Smith University. “Through Bridge Builders, I’ve learned so much,” Kakwenya said. “Not just about the COVID-19 vaccine, but about the value of trust-building, dignity and respect. I was raised as a Christian and while my beliefs are a big part of why I want to help others, I now have a deeper appreciation for the many beliefs in the world and all of the types of people that come with them.”

To learn more about this interfaith effort to increase vaccination in the Carolinas, check out the Bridge Builders podcast, Faith in our Community.

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