Celebrating 60 Years of Progress: National Health Center Week 2025

Every August, communities across the country come together to celebrate National Health Center Week (NHCW)—a time to recognize the vital role that Community Health Centers (CHCs) play in improving public health and strengthening neighborhoods. This year, from August 3–9, 2025, we mark a special milestone: 60 years of progress in delivering compassionate, accessible, and high-quality care to millions of Americans.

Why Health Centers Matter

Community Health Centers are more than just clinics—they are lifelines. Serving over 32.5 million patients annually across nearly 16,000 communities, CHCs provide comprehensive care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

They are rooted in the communities they serve, offering culturally competent services and addressing social determinants of health that impact well-being.

Health centers are especially critical for:

• Underserved populations: Including rural residents, low-income families, and those without insurance
• Preventive care: Helping reduce hospitalizations and emergency visits through early intervention
• Chronic disease management: Supporting patients with conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma
• Community resilience: Acting as first responders during public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic

This Year’s Theme: Celebrating 60 Years of Progress

The 2025 theme - “Celebrating Past, Present, and Future: 60 Years of Improving Our Nation’s Health” - honors the legacy of CHCs while looking ahead to a future of innovation and equity.

Each day of the week highlights a unique aspect of health center impact, and Star Community Health has several events planned to celebrate each theme:

• Sunday, August 3: Theme Day – Reflecting on 60 years of progress
• Monday, August 4: Staff Appreciation Day
• Tuesday, August 5: Patient Appreciation Day
• Wednesday, August 6: Health Conditions Focus
• Thursday, August 7: Populations Day
• Friday, August 8: Partner Appreciation Day
• Saturday, August 9: Gratitude and Future Vision

These focus days offer opportunities to engage with local leaders, celebrate health center staff, and amplify the voices of patients and partners who make this work possible.

How You Can Participate

Whether you're a patient, provider, policymaker, or supporter, there are many ways to get involved:

• Attend our ribbon cutting on 8/7 at 11 am at St. Luke's Hometown Primary Care and Dental (34 S. Railroad Street, Tamaqua) as we add three Rural Health Centers to Star Community Health
• Attend our free Community Carnival on 8/9 from 11 am – 2 pm at Sigal Center (450 W. Chew Street, Allentown). We will have a climbing wall, dunk tank, book mobile, school supplies, food, family fun, and more!
• Advocate for continued funding and support of CHCs
• Volunteer or donate to your local health center

As we celebrate National Health Center Week 2025, let’s honor the past, embrace the present, and commit to a future where everyone has access to quality care. Community Health Centers are not just healthcare providers—they are pillars of equity, compassion, and hope.

To learn more about Star Community Health, visit https://www.starcommunityhealth.org.

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