CCACC Health Center Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party

Through the changing seasons, the Pan Asian Volunteer Health Center (PAVHC) of the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) has reached its 20th anniversary. It has evolved into a community clinic providing comprehensive services for both physical and mental health. With the expansion of clinic operations and services, CCACC has established the CCACC Health Center, incorporating the PAVHC under its umbrella. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, CCACC Health Center held its annual volunteer appreciation event on December 8th (Friday) evening at the CCACC Art Gallery. The CCACC Executive Director, Board Members, colleagues from the Health Center, and volunteers gathered to reflect on the efforts and achievements of the PAVHC. CCACC expressed immense gratitude and respect to the volunteers, hoping for more volunteers to join the community service in the future.

The meticulously arranged annual appreciation event expressed gratitude to the volunteers

As attendees stepped into the CCACC Art Gallery that evening, they immediately felt a warm and inviting atmosphere due to the exquisite decorations. Long tables covered with white tablecloths were carefully arranged with pumpkin platters, creating an atmosphere of gratitude. Large and small pumpkins in gold, silver, and orange hues were placed on the platters, adorned with pinecones and maple leaves. Strings of small lights wrapped around them, radiating a golden warmth from each carefully crafted decoration to every corner of the venue.

Adding to the artistic ambiance were pumpkin lantern stands, and even the certificates of appreciation presented to the volunteers were specially designed, handcrafted, and framed, reflecting the artistic touch that permeated the entire event.

The annual volunteer appreciation party was hosted by Kate Lu, the Director of CCACC Health Center. During her opening remarks, Rita Lewi, the Executive Director of CCACC, expressed gratitude to the volunteers for their tremendous, steadfast, and long-term support and dedication. Rita herself is a senior volunteer at CCACC and has taken on the significant responsibility of serving as the Executive Director in her volunteer capacity.

The achievements over the past 20 years are attributed to the dedication of volunteers

Looking back, we attributed PAVHC’s success to the efforts of the group of volunteer medical professionals, including Dr. Mo-Ping Chow, Dr. Hon-Yuen Wong, and Dr. Ling Yang, as well as a group of community advocates such as Mr. Meng Kuang Li, Mr. Weiguo Shi, and Ms. Ling Zhang. To this day, PAVHC provides diversified one-stop medical services, including primary care service, rehabilitation services, mental health service, and disease prevention and control. Providing primary care services (family medicine) to patients in the community facing difficulties in seeking medical care remains a major focus.

This year, after the founding doctor Mo-Ping Chow retired, he is able to dedicate more time each week to caring for patients at the PAVHC. Medical director Dr. Yao-Yao Zhu (volunteer), Dr. Qiufang Cheng (volunteer), Dr. Lei Xu (volunteer), Dr. Weiming Ryan Yan (volunteer), and Dr. Yang Veronica Pei (volunteer) also contribute their time in seeing patients regularly at the PAVHC. Our Nurse Practitioners, Jihyun Do (Korean), Henriette Kamgang-Noubissi (Cameron), and medical assistant Jairo Soto (Columbia) provide tailored services to patients from different countries.

In 2023, the CCACC Health Center provided primary care services, rehabilitation therapy, and psychotherapy to over 1,800 patients. Additionally, we administered flu vaccines to over 1,000 community members and administered the updated COVID-19 vaccine to 200 uninsured residents. The efficient delivery of these medical services relies on a well-trained professional team and the longstanding enthusiastic support of numerous health professionals.

In addition, this year, the PAVHC received federal funding of community project and funding from the Montgomery County’s "Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) to continue our efforts in providing chronic diseases management services. CCACC Health Center is actively seeking a suitable location for the new expansion of PAVHC. Which being said that in 2024, PAVHC will continue our services and keep being busy and fulfilling throughout the year; healthcare services will also be expanded next year, continuing to provide primary care for uninsured, low-income residents in Montgomery County.

During the funding period, PAVHC will offer disease prevention services, monthly health seminars, workshops on chronic care self-management (such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic pain), and Youth Mental Health First Aid Training in the community.

Here are the tentative schedules for our free services:

• January 11 to February 15, 2024: Building Better Caregivers (BBC) Workshop for caregivers of dementia patients
• February 3, 2024, from 10 AM to 4 PM: Youth Mental Health First Aid Training
• April 11 to May 16, 2024: Building Better Caregivers (BBC) Workshop for caregivers of dementia patients
• April 13, 2024, from 10 AM to 4 PM: Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

For more details, please visit the official website: https://www.ccacchealth.org/workshops

We extend our gratitude to the health professionals that made outstanding contributions to the PAVHC in 2023:

Dr. Mo-Ping Chow, Dr. Yao-Yao Zhu, Dr. Lei Xu, Dr. Yang Veronica Pei, Dr. Qiufang Cheng, Dr. Weiming Ryan Yan, Dr. Jie He, Dr. Ling Chin, Dr. Mark Li, Dr. Ling Yang, Dr. Allan Lui, Dr. Cynthia Macri, Dr. S Xiaoping Shao, Dr. Cixin Wang, Ms. Ariel La, Prof. Veronica Kang, Ms. Elizabeth Lee (PharmD), Ms. Susan Chen(RN), Ms. HsingChih Su (Pharmacist), Mr. Kun Shen (PharmD), Ms. Trang Tran (PharmD), Mr. Samuel Wu (PharmD), Ms. Mandy Kwong (PharmD), Ms. Alice Wang (PharmD), and Ms. Margaret Persaud (RN).

(Article by CCACC Health Center Photos by CCACC)