Community Health Center Week - August 8-14
During the month of August, KKV celebrated National Community Health Centers Week (NCHCW). This past year, COVID-19 challenged the ways all of us at KKV provided services and met the needs of our community. Reinvention and innovation were key to overcoming the vulnerabilities we have faced over the past 18 months. The beauty of community health centers is that they hold the deep connections with their community members, both the people they work with (staff and volunteers) and the people they serve. These connections allowed KKV to grow stronger through the pandemic and to hold each other on a path to recovery and community resilience. And so, this year KKV celebrates the enthusiastic staff who raised their signs along North School Street for National Community Health Centers Week - August 8-14. KKV has been participating in NCHCW sign waving activities for the past five years. Our staff share some of their NCHCW stories:
When people honk their horns or wave at us, that's appreciation and acknowledgement to me. I feel good being out there, waving my sign to let our community know we're HERE! CHC Week is important because it's the time health centers can be recognized for their hard work in providing quality care for the communities they serve. It is the time for us to let people know what services we are providing to the community - quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare.
-Miriama Samifua, Community Family Planning Health Educator & Key Organizer for KKV NCHCW
Due to my work schedule/shift, I usually miss some activities/events. Recently I was able to participate
with sign waving that was scheduled in the afternoon during my lunch break! It turned out to be an awesome
30 minutes with the KVIBE Youth!! For me, it was a great experience as I felt united with a different department of KKV…Community Centers Health Week is important and I think it should be done more often throughout the year :)) It is a time to show appreciation, gratitude and Team Pride and for what KKV does.
Kudos to all KKV Providers, Staff, Volunteers and Families for living up to our mission and values.....
#neighborsbeingneighborlytoneighbors!
-Betty Bartolome, PBX Operator
The state of Hawaii has 14 community health centers located across the island chain. These are:
Hawai‘i Island: Bay Clinic Inc.; Hāmākua Health Center; and West Hawaii Community Health Center. Maui: Malama I Ke Ola Health Center (Community Clinic of Maui); and Hana Health. Molokai: Moloka‘i Health Center. O‘ahu: Kalihi-Pālama Health Center; Kōkua Kalihi Valley (KKV); Ko‘olauloa Health Center; Wahiawa Health; Waianae Coast Community Health Center; Waikīkī Health; and Waimānalo Health Center.
