National Health Center Week:

A Community-Wide Celebration

Every August, the National Association of Community Health Centers sponsors National Health Center Week (NHCW) to celebrate and increase awareness of America’s 1,400 community health centers. National Health Center Week helps us to highlight and thank everyone who makes it possible to provide quality, comprehensive healthcare services to more than 31.5 million patients across the United States.

National Health Center Week focuses on Powering Communities through Caring Connections this year. During National Health Center Week, August 4-10, All Care will celebrate with New Visions Homeless Services and MICAH House guests, as well as additional events for our community partners and patients to celebrate with us. 

National Health Center Week Events at All Care!

Patient Focus Group

August 6th

Patients of All Care Health Center are invited to participate in a Patient Advisory Focus Group luncheon with our CEO, Joel Dougherty, on August 6th. Patients will have the opportunity to share with All Care leadership what they love about All Care, what could be better, and what may be missing or still needed. As a community health center, All Care listens to the community's needs and values patient feedback. We strive to do this by having six of our board members be patients.  

Patients who are interested in the Patient Advisory Focus Group opportunity should complete this questionnaire. After the questionnaire is completed, the time and location will be shared.

Community Partner Tailgate

August 7th

You are invited to join community partners, elected officials, All Care Ambassadors and board members, and our staff to welcome Julie Adkins and other inaugural Iowa Health Equity Rally and Outreach (HERO) Riders to our health center tailgate. The tailgate will be on August 7, from 10:30am – 1:30pm. Enjoy grilled burgers, hotdogs, sides, dessert, and drinks. You can expect games and opportunities to network with individuals throughout the metro and state. 

All Care thanks Bluffs Country Radio and American PCS for their generosity and for sponsoring our tailgate event. This year’s Spirit Award will also be unveiled at the tailgate.  

All Care's Julie Adkins Plans to Join National Health Center Week Hero Ride

The Iowa Health Equity Rally and Outreach (HERO) Ride is a statewide motorcycle tour of every community health center during National Health Center Week. The ride's goal is to collectively highlight Iowa's 14 health centers' crucial role in promoting health equity and providing essential care to our communities. The Iowa HERO Ride celebrates these centers' incredible impact in Iowa and throughout the country.  

When Julie Adkins was told about the HERO Ride and given the chance to represent All Care, she didn't hesitate to say, "Yes." The opportunity was a bit serendipitous. Here's her story.

Julie began riding motorcycles after receiving a Yamaha dirt bike/street bike motorcycle from her dad when she was eleven. She took it everywhere. She watched her brothers ride – and thought whatever they could do, she could, too. No one told her to let off the throttle when she took her first jump. When she came back down to the ground, she hit and kept going - fast! When her brother broke his dirt bike, he rode hers and wrecked it, too. Then it was sold.

When Julie was married, her husband had a motorcycle. She took it over. Sixteen years later, she bought her first Harley. On their thirtieth anniversary, her husband surprised her with her dream bike; a 2007 Harley Street Glide in blue, her favorite color. He found her Harley the Hope for Heroes auction in Texas that serves brave men and women who serve the public as First Responders. It is a Hero’s bike for a hero. When I say that Julie is a hero – she truly is. Being a first responder has been a huge part of her life. Not only does she practice nursing, but she is also a volunteer firefighter and EMT and has skills as a vet tech.

Julie has worked at All Care Health Center for eight and a half years. She came to All Care in 2015 from Charles Drew Health Center as a Licensed Practical Nurse. In 2019, Julie received her Registered Nurse degree from Metro and became a nurse team lead at All Care. She worked in this role, then filled a temporary nurse manager position. This last year, while studying for her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Julie decided she needed a change and started looking around at available opportunities. But, she said, “The Good Lord didn’t want me to leave All Care.” When the newly created IT Business Analyst/Epic Support Analyst position was created, she decided to apply. Because of her clinical background and years of knowledge, she was offered the position. 

Julie states that she wanted a challenge – a bigger challenge - that would really use her brain. She was a little worried, but says that she is learning every day and it has been the best career move of her life. She is still seeing clinical aspects, but on a different realm and still doing a little nursing, answering questions, and giving her recommendations to members of the medical team. Once a nurse, always a nurse. She is currently working on her capstone to complete her BSN, then has a goal to get her Epic certification.  

Julie has always been determined to figure things out. She was taught from a young age to not allow obstacles to stop her. “If you can figure out a way to get it done, do it.” She is currently customizing - cutting, welding, and fabricating – a 1958 Renault Dauphine and converting it from a four-door to a two-door hard top business coupe with guidance and assistance from her dad, all while her dad works alongside her, but on his own car. “If I fail, I keep trying.” 

Julie is looking forward to riding in the HERO Ride. She looks at is as her opportunity to give back and be proud of what she is doing for the cause. She plans to join the ride in Ottumwa, at River Hills Community Health Center, then ride to Infinity, in Leon Iowa; then to Proteus, Inc., the Iowa Primary Care Association, and Primary Health Care, Inc., in Des Moines. The next morning, she will ride to her home health center, All Care Health Center, in Council Bluffs, where she will ride past our mobile medical clinic, stop to celebrate at All Care, then travel past the Florence M. Lakin Health Center on her way to Siouxland Community Health Center, in Sioux City, Iowa. In her two sections of the ride, she will cover 388 miles to promote Health Equity and the vital role community health centers play in Iowa (not including her miles to and from home). She says that if asked, she would complete the entire ride to represent All Care Health Center. 

Julie invites others to join her on the HERO Ride where she will be-bop to some music while enjoying the scenery, the feeling of freedom she gets when she rides, and a little “wind therapy.” The HERO Ride will tour the state to visit every community health center during National Health Center Week. Registration, due July 22, can be found along with the route and more information at the HERO Ride website.

Julie is looking forward to riding in the HERO Ride. She looks at is as her opportunity to give back and be proud of what she is doing for the cause. She plans to join the ride in Ottumwa, at River Hills Community Health Center, then ride to Infinity, in Leon Iowa; then to Proteus, Inc., the Iowa Primary Care Association, and Primary Health Care, Inc., in Des Moines. The next morning, she will ride to her home health center, All Care Health Center, in Council Bluffs, where she will ride past our mobile medical clinic, stop to celebrate at All Care, then travel past the Florence M. Lakin Health Center on her way to Siouxland Community Health Center, in Sioux City, Iowa. In her two sections of the ride, she will cover 388 miles to promote Health Equity and the vital role community health centers play in Iowa (not including her miles to and from home). She says that if asked, she would complete the entire ride to represent All Care Health Center. 

Julie invites others to join her on the HERO Ride where she will be-bop to some music while enjoying the scenery, the feeling of freedom she gets when she rides, and a little “wind therapy.” The HERO Ride will tour the state to visit every community health center during National Health Center Week. Registration, due July 22, can be found along with the route and more information at the HERO Ride website.

Mobile Medical Clinic Continues to Serve

Greater Council Bluffs Community

All Care Health Center has hired Gretchen Bayer, with eleven years of nonprofit business healthcare analytics experience, to fill the role of Quality Improvement Director. 

In her role, Gretchen will analyze data for reporting and better understanding. She will work alongside All Care’s leadership team to develop quality improvement plans, implement strategies, and monitor patient satisfaction. Gretchen will also ensure that staff members meet All Care’s quality and performance standards. 

Gretchen’s experience has traversed the nonprofit healthcare avenue, with her most recent experience coming from her time as a Performance Improvement Analyst for an Omaha FQHC.

Gretchen earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She complemented that degree with a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Check out what's coming to All Care!

Red Cross Blood Drive

July 19th

Summer schedules can get hectic with time off and fun summer activities, making it tough to keep a sufficient blood supply. When blood donations go out the door faster than they are collected, a shortage may happen and delay essential medical care. Blood donations give patients in need the opportunity to have more sunny days, enjoy more thrilling adventures, and create more memories this summer.

All Care will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, July 19. Appointment slots are still available! Blood donors at All Care’s July 19 event will receive an email with a Fandango Movie Ticket to see TWISTERS and will be entered for a chance to win a 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn®!

Story Street Food Pantry

July 22nd

Record numbers arrived at All Care Health Center’s Food Pantry in June, but we did not run out of food! Come one, come all to the NEXT traveling food pantry held in partnership with Story Street Pantry on July 22 from 10:00am – 2:00pm. 

If you have clients that need food, neighbors that need food, or if you need food, do not hesitate. The Story Street pantry is a low-barrier pantry. It is available to all Iowans who participate in SNAP, Free & Reduced Lunch Programs, or meet The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) income guidelines. When individuals arrive at the pantry, they will be asked to complete TEFAP eligibility form, then fill out a food order for All Care volunteers to fulfill, on the spot.    

Congratulations Coloring Contest Winners

In June, kids in the community were invited to participate in a coloring contest featuring All Care’s mobile medical clinic. Here are our winners! 

For ongoing updates, events, shout-outs, and celebrations, please like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. Please share with others who can benefit from our mission of affordable, comprehensive, and high-quality healthcare for the entire community.