National Health Center Week 2022 will be widely celebrated in person and virtually this year from August 7 – August 13, throughout the nation and locally at All Care Health Center.

Health centers provide preventive and primary care services to nearly 29 million people and continue to do so while facing a global pandemic. Community Health Centers provide care to people who disproportionately suffer from chronic disease and lack access to affordable, quality care. While our approach is community-based and local, collectively, we are the backbone of the nation’s primary care system. Community Health Centers lower health care costs to the tune of 24 billion dollars a year, reduce rates of chronic diseases and stimulate local economies.

At All Care Health Center, we provide affordable medical, dental, and mental health care. We are not just healers; we are innovators who look beyond medical charts to address the factors that may cause poor health, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, mental illness, lack of nutrition, and unemployment. As a critical piece of the health care system, we collaborate with hospitals, local and state governments, social, health, and business organizations to improve health outcomes for medically vulnerable people. In the past two years, we have pivoted to serve our communities through telehealth, drive up COVID-19 testing and test distribution while still ensuring our patients can access necessities like food and housing resources.

While inflation continues to exacerbate social and medical inequities across the country, All Care Health Center, and other Community Health Centers, are stretching themselves to reconfigure services for those in need while combatting the current healthcare industry labor demand. All Care continues to look ahead to continue to provide care for all, regardless of insurance status.

The mission of Community Health Centers remains crucial today because access to basic care remains a challenge for many right here in our community. Every day, All Care provides rides to medical appointments for our neighbors without transportation. We help these same patients to afford healthcare that combats multiple chronic conditions. We work with our partners to find solutions for food and housing. We help our patients to tackle all of their challenges because these challenges affect health.

All Care Health Center and all Community Health Centers rely on Congress to solidify long-term and stable funding for Community Health Centers to continue to serve as healthcare homes. Funding ensures we can keep our doors open and close the growing access gap for medically vulnerable communities. We are grateful for the leadership that supports legislation to protect this health center funding.

All Care will celebrate these efforts during National Health Center Week. We are grateful for your support, this week and all year long. We will be here when you need us.

You're Invited to Breakfast!

On Tuesday, August 9, All Care is hosting a Come and Go Breakfast to celebrate our partnerships, supporters, and friends in healthcare. Grab a bite to eat and learn about All Care’s newest programming efforts to reach our vulnerable community neighbors.

Please feel free to share needs that you see to help us shape healthcare in our community. A light breakfast will be served from 8:00am – 10:00am in our boardroom and lobby at 902 South 6th Street, in Council Bluffs

Visit Us at the Council Bluffs Farmer's Market!

Have you stopped by the Council Bluffs Farmer’s Market? The season is in full swing at Bayliss Park on Thursday evenings from 4:30 – 7:30, each week.

This year, All Care is encouraging you to stop by and support your local homegrown vendors.

Stop by our booth, spin a wheel and grab a Farmer’s Market Buck or two, then enjoy saving on homegrown veggies, food vendors and just a good time. See ya on Thursday!

Mark Your Calendar for the July Story Street Food Pantry Event

All Care believes that whole person health includes access to nutritious food. We emphasize this by creating a food access point, monthly through our partnership with Story Street Pantry. The mobile pantry will be returning on August 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at our 902 South 6th Street health center. 

The pantry is open to all Iowans participating in SNAP, Free & Reduced Lunch Programs, or meeting The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) income guidelines. When individuals arrive at the pantry, they will be asked to complete the TEFAP eligibility form, then fill out a food order form for All Care volunteers to fulfill on the spot.  

If you need food, we hope to see you there! If you have clients that need food assistance, we hope to see them there. We plan to continue the pantry service on the fourth Monday of each month throughout the summer. Share the good news!

Get Ready for Back to School with Our Sports Physical Events

School will soon be starting and that means the start of a new season of athletics at our local schools. To participate, student-athletes must first complete their annual sports physical. All Care met the need for sports physicals at Thomas Jefferson High School at two recent events. Athletes from Abraham Lincoln, Wilson Middle School, and surrounding schools also attended this health event. Sports physicals are still available at All Care Health Center for only $20. Call (712) 325-1990 to make an appointment. We wish you a safe and successful season with your teams! We look forward to amplifying our student healthcare access this fall. Stay tuned!

Do you see a collective need for a health event? Please email Kerri at kwede@allcarehealthcenter.org with your idea or request.

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.