CBS Sports host and Montgomery County resident James Brown promoted the Montgomery County African American Health Program (AAHP), a COVID-19 testing campaign targeting the county’s Black community, in a PSA video.
In the video, Brown discusses the rising COVID-19 cases and how Black Americans have been hit “especially hard.” He also discusses how as a Black Montgomery County resident, he is glad to see programs such as AAHP’s provide assistance to the community.
The program, which began in November 2020, looks to transition their free testing sites indoors through partnerships with Black faith organizations and Black Greek letter organizations.
The program is a joint partnership with AAHP’s community partner, Fit Fathers and is sponsored by the National Center for Children and Families.
Current testing locations include Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Rockville, the Islamic Society of the Washington Area in Silver Spring and the Smithville School Museum and Education Center in Silver Spring.
In addition to free testing, Black residents can pre-register for vaccines, receive groceries, and COVID-19 swag bags. The bags contain masks, gloves, a digital thermometer and hand sanitizer and given at each site.
So far, AAHP has administered nearly 6,000 coronavirus tests throughout the county. They have a goal to test 15,000 African Americans by July 2021. All of the tests are non-evasive and self-administered with no scheduled appointments required. Click here for more information.
AAHP was created in 1999 by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services “to help eliminate health disparities and improve the number and quality of years of life for African Americans and people of African descent in Montgomery County.”
