Houston offers $50 to $1000 incentives to get vaccinated

HOUSTON – The Houston Health Department is launching a new program to encourage more Houstonians to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The 6- week initiative will award 12 people $1,000 gift cards and provide $50 gift cards to hundreds of additional people.

People who get their first dose or booster shot at eligible health department vaccination sites between January 29 and March 10, 2022, will be entered into drawings for $1,000 gift cards. Two $1,000 winners will be selected on Fridays starting February 4 for a total of 12 winners over six weeks.

Fixed vaccination sites eligible for the $1,000 incentive program are:

• Acres Home MultiService Center, 6719 W. Montgomery Rd.

• Hiram Clarke MultiService Center, 3810 W. Fuqua St.

• La Nueva Casa de Amigos Health Center, 1809 North Main St.

• Magnolia Multi-Service Center, 7037 Capitol • Northside Health Center, 8504 Schuller Rd.

• Sharpstown Health Services, 6201 Bonhomme Rd.

• Southwest Multi-Service Center, 6400 High Star Dr.

• Sunnyside Health Center, 4605 Wilmington St.

Fixed vaccination sites close at 11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of every month.

Many of the department’s pop-up vaccination sites are also eligible for the $1,000 incentive program. Weekly schedules listing eligible pop-up vaccination sites are available at houstonhealth.org or by calling 832-393-4220.

Once a person is entered into the pool for the $1,000 drawings, their name will remain in unless it’s selected. People may only enter the pool once.

In addition to being entered into the $1,000 drawings, people who get their first dose or booster shot at select pop-up sites will receive a $50 gift card until a total of 760 cards are distributed.

Sites and schedules eligible for the $50 incentive are:

• Lyons Elementary, 800 Roxella St, 77076
January 29, 2022
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

• Benavidez Elementary, 6262 Gulfton St, 77081
February 5, 2022
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

• Brookline Elementary, 6301 S Loop E Fwy, 77087
February 12, 2022
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The program is a partnership with Houston in Action and Human Age Digital, which received $50,000 in grant funds to support efforts to increase vaccination rates in Houston.

Participants must sign a declaration affirming eligibility for the program, and verification will occur using the Texas immunization database.

People ages 5 and up are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, while people ages 18 and up are eligible for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. In addition, booster shots are available to people ages 12 and up.

Getting vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 at health department-affiliated sites is free and does not require proof of residency, citizenship, or insurance.