Public Health · Underserved Communities
The Pluto
Foundation
Reaching the unreached.
Public Health · Underserved Communities
Reaching the unreached.
The Pluto Foundation plans to deliver mobile vaccination services to homeless and underserved communities that existing systems overlook. Named for the smallest body in our solar system, we plan to go where others do not.
Our immediate mission is to become an operational mobile vaccination provider in Florida, delivering our first vaccination events to people experiencing homelessness in Tallahassee.
Every action below builds the foundation that makes sustainable vaccine delivery possible.
Arvin is a researcher at Florida State University graduating summer 2026, where he spent two years in Dr. Ashwanth Francis's lab studying HIV-1 capsid biology, contributing to a bioRxiv preprint on small-molecule capsid inhibitors. In August 2026, he will join the NIH Vaccine Research Center in Bethesda as a postbaccalaureate researcher in Dr. Ted Pierson's Arbovirus Immunity Section, where he will study flavivirus immunology.
Ruby is an undergraduate biology major at Florida State University, where she works as a research assistant in Dr. Chris Martin's neuroscience and memory lab. There, she collaborates with graduate students using MRI, EEG, and ERG to investigate the neural bases of long-term memory and its relationship to neurodegeneration in adults with dementia. Beginning this summer, she will also join Dr. Ashwanth Francis's lab to study HIV-1 capsid biology while completing her Bachelor of Science at Florida State.
Dr. Suite is a board-certified neurologist based in Hollywood, Florida and a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As the Foundation's Chief Medical Officer, he provides the supervising physician oversight and standing orders required under Florida law for all vaccine administration.
Dr. Singh is a research faculty member at Florida State University in Dr. Ashwanth Francis's lab, where his work centers on HIV-1 capsid biology, specifically the mechanisms by which the HIV-1 capsid interacts with host cell factors to facilitate nuclear entry and viral genome integration. His expertise in virology informs the Foundation's vaccine selection and outbreak response strategy.
Yana is a junior at Carnegie Mellon University studying Statistics & Machine Learning and conducting Linguistics research. She is the founder of Brushstrokes for History, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on the arts and local history. As Director of Fundraising for the Pluto Foundation, she brings nonprofit leadership experience and a rigorous quantitative background to the Foundation's development and outreach efforts.
Armando is a PhD student in Sociology at Florida State University whose research focuses on economic sociology and inequality. His current work examines the lived experiences of unhoused individuals in Tallahassee, offering grounded perspective on the structural barriers facing the populations the Foundation serves and on community-based approaches to care.
Online donations will be enabled once our 501(c)(3) approval is received. To discuss supporting our work in the meantime, please contact us directly.
Every dollar raised goes toward a single goal: getting a fully equipped vaccination van operational and keeping it there. Our Year 1 safe-side fundraising target is $224,508, which includes a 20% contingency buffer.
| Category | Line Item | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| One-Time Startup Costs | ||
| Van | Mercedes Sprinter 2500 High Roof 170" WB (2025) | $62,345 |
| Van refit | Medical-grade vaccine refrigerator | $5,000 |
| Van refit | Cabinetry, countertop workspace, supply storage | $8,000 |
| Van refit | Electrical system, inverter, shore power, outlets | $8,000 |
| Van refit | HVAC / climate control | $5,000 |
| Van refit | Step / ADA-accessible entry | $3,500 |
| Van refit | Generator / battery backup | $6,000 |
| Van refit | Exterior wrap / nonprofit branding | $4,000 |
| Van refit | Observation seating, privacy partition, signage | $1,500 |
| Registration | FL commercial vehicle title + registration + tags | $500 |
| Legal / Admin | FL nonprofit incorporation + IRS 1023-EZ filing | $670 |
| Legal / Admin | Supervising physician agreement + standing orders | $2,000 |
| Initial Supplies | Syringes, gloves, swabs, bandages, epi-pen, sharps containers, VAERS forms | $1,500 |
| Startup Subtotal | $108,015 | |
| Annual Operating Costs | ||
| Insurance | General liability | $800 |
| Insurance | Professional / medical malpractice | $2,500 |
| Insurance | Directors & officers (D&O) | $1,725 |
| Insurance | Commercial auto | $800 |
| Insurance | Volunteer accident | $500 |
| Vaccines | Influenza, ~200 doses | $4,400 |
| Vaccines | Tdap, ~100 doses | $3,400 |
| Vaccines | COVID-19, ~150 doses (retail if VFA unavailable) | $19,500 |
| Hygiene and health kit supplies | 500 kits | $5,000 |
| Operations | Parking / Storage / Electrical | $20,000 |
| Operations | Fuel | $6,000 |
| Operations | Van maintenance + inspections | $4,000 |
| Operations | Medical supplies (syringes, gloves, bandages, PPE) | $5,000 |
| Operations | Biohazard / sharps disposal service | $1,200 |
| Operations | Refrigerator temp monitoring + calibration | $1,000 |
| Operations | Annual van registration renewal | $250 |
| Annual Operating Subtotal | $76,075 | |
| Year 1 Total (Startup + Operating) | $187,090 | |
| Safety buffer, 20% contingency for overruns, delays, and unexpected compliance costs | $37,418 | |
| Safe-Side Fundraising Target, Year 1 | $224,508 | |
There is a role for you in what we are building. Reach out.
The smallest. The most distant. The most overlooked.
Still there. Still real. Still worth reaching.
Image credit: NASA / Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory / Southwest Research Institute
New Horizons Mission, closest approach July 14, 2015 · Enhanced color composite