Summer 2025
Dear Friend,
As the landscape shifts and challenges us, CCI continues to show up with resilience and unwavering commitment to our mission. Despite the complexities of today’s health care environment, we have much to celebrate. (Take a look at the HRSA Quality Recognition Badges we earned this year on the following page.)
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm once said, “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” It is truly a privilege to be part of the fabric that makes our communities strong. The work non-profits like CCI do is not easy, but we embrace the hard work—because providing quality care and support for all who need it is how we help our communities thrive. Our service to our neighbors is not just words; it is action.
From participating in community events to hosting our own block party and advocating on behalf of our patients on the impact of potential Medicaid cuts, we continually seek opportunities to offer or improve access to care, provide helpful information, or use our voice for the voiceless. As an organization, we have also worked tirelessly to make health care more convenient by offering virtual visits, extending hours, and increasing access to our pharmacy services, which are now available at two of our health centers and will soon include a third location in Silver Spring.
Even as we grow and adapt, CCI is more than just a place where our neighbors can receive care. We provide a safe space to experience joy, laughter, and connection with one another.
In this edition of Purpose, we’ll share some of those joyful moments from the summer months. We’re excited to share how we’ve come together as a community to celebrate our accomplishments, embrace change, and prepare for what’s to come.
Sincerely,
Sonya Bruton, PsyD, MPA CEO and President
Quality Performance, Quality Care
Each year, community health centers, like CCI, are awarded Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges for notable achievements in the areas of access, quality, health information technology, and health outcomes.
In 2025, CCI was recognized by HRSA with six different quality performance badges. These included:
• National Quality Leader in Heart Health
• Health Center Quality Leader in Silver
• Health Center Program badges for:
• Preventive Health
• High Value Care
• Advancing Health Information Technology
• Improving Health Care Access
Forward Together: Celebrating Breastfeeding Families at CCI
by JoseLuis Diaz, WIC Director
August is National Breastfeeding Month, and every year, CCI’s WIC Breastfeeding Team hosts a celebration that educates, motivates, and cheers on hundreds of families and pregnant participants in their breastfeeding journeys. This year was no exception.
The standing-room-only event featured interactive games and activities created by CCI’s stellar breastfeeding team, blending evidence-based knowledge with fun for all ages. Each pregnant participant received a goodie bag packed with items to encourage and support breastfeeding, and many arrived with their partners, relatives, and older children by their side. A highlight of the day was a lively Q&A with Dr. Apgar, CCI’s Interim Chief Medical Officer, who shared his OB/GYN expertise. A nutritious lunch rounded out the afternoon.
The event also drew representatives from Maryland’s WIC state office, including the State WIC Director, Breastfeeding Services Supervisor, and staff.
Their presence underscored CCI’s leadership in the field: our WIC Program consistently holds the highest breastfeeding initiation and duration rates in the state.
These counselors, often past or current WIC participants themselves, provide guidance, encouragement, and culturally relevant support to families in their own community. With specialized training and ongoing professional development, the peer-to-peer model continues to be the program’s secret to breastfeeding success.
This annual celebration is more than a party— it’s a reminder that breastfeeding takes a community. The 2025 theme, “Forward Together,” captured the spirit of the day as families showed up with their support systems ready to learn, celebrate, and commit to making breastfeeding work for the benefit of everyone.
At the heart of that success is the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program—a 20+ year initiative that connects pregnant and postpartum participants with trained paraprofessional counselors.
BE PREP RED Disaster Readiness Checklist
From earthquakes to extreme heat, hurricanes, and wildfires, natural disasters are destructive events that can lead to significant loss of life and property. According to Statista, the United States experienced 81 natural disasters in 2024. Of those, 49 of them were caused by severe convective storms, such as thunderstorms with heavy rain, strong winds, and tornadoes. These events can be devastating for families. That’s why it’s important to know how to protect yourself and prepare for natural disasters.
Learn how to keep you and your loved ones safe during some of the most common natural disasters and home emergencies:
Winter Storm Safety
1. Stay warm: Before the winter season begins, make sure you can heat your home safely or have adequate access to warm shelter. You may want to check in on neighbors, friends, or loved ones, especially those with older adults and babies.
2. Stay connected: Sign up for free alerts from your county or state emergency offices. It’s important to monitor the local weather and news for updates and resources. Make sure you have a way to charge your cell phone in case of a power outage!
3. Learn emergency skills: CPR and Stop the Bleed certifications are great skills to have in case emergency services are delayed.
4. Gather emergency supplies: Gather food, water, and medicine before a winter storm, as stores may close and roads become unsafe to travel.
Flood Safety
1. Understand your flood risk: A flood/flash flood watch means a flood or flash flood is possible. A flood/flash flood warning means flooding or flash flooding is already occurring or will occur soon. You should take immediate precautions.
2. Turn around, don’t drown: Never walk, swim, or drive through floodwater.
3. Prevent injuries: Avoid power lines, poles, wires, falling trees, and other debris. Many injuries occur during cleanup. Work with a partner and take frequent breaks.
4. Protect your health: Throw out any food that may have gotten wet or warm. Keep wet areas well-ventilated and check with your local public health department about drinking water safety. If your home was flooded, dry your home and everything in it as quickly as possible. If you cannot dry your home with 24–48 hours, you should assume you have mold growth.
Home Fire Safety
1. Cook safely: Stay in the kitchen and closely monitor your food anytime you are cooking. Keep anything that can catch fire, such as oven mitts, food packaging, or towels, away from the stove. Install and learn how to use a fire extinguisher.
2. Use caution with electrical equipment: Always plug appliances directly into wall outlets. Check power cords and have all electrical work done by a certified electrician.
3. Install and maintain smoke alarms: Make sure there is a smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas. Don’t forget to test all smoke alarms at least once a month!
4. Make and practice a home fire escape plan: Find two paths to the outside from every room. This may include a doorway and/ or a window. Choose a safe outside meeting place and be sure to account for all those who may need extra assistance. If you live in a multi-family home or a high-rise building, identify the fire doors and fire-safe stairways on your floor. Never take the elevator during a fire.
Be Red Cross
Ready
• Get a kit: Learn the essential supplies to put in your family’s survival kit.
• Make a plan: Plan effectively for you and your family in case of emergency.
• Be informed: Understand which disasters are likely to occur in your area and what you must know to stay safe.
If in doubt, just get out! Leave everything behind and call 9-1-1 from outside the home.
CCI in the Community
Back to School with CCI
This summer, CCI staff showed out in full force throughout Prince George’s and Montgomery County to send students of all ages into the classroom with everything they need to feel and learn well.
Some highlights this year:
• Making school supply donations at Live in Your Truth’s Back to School Event in Downtown Silver Spring.
• Distributing public health resources such as pads and portable medication containers at Cider Mills’ “Healthy Start” Community Event in Gaithersburg.
• Offering free dental screenings and sameday appointment scheduling at Greenbelt’s Annual Back to School Health Fair.
Do You “Know Your Status”?
On June 27, CCI partnered with SLK Services and Gilead to provide free HIV testing at Walgreens in Largo and Takoma Park. We engaged with 146 community members, providing them with gift cards, free food, and health information.
1. 7/26: Feria de Salud Comunitaria (Wheaton)
2. 8/14: Franklin Park Back to School Fair (Greenbelt)
3. 8/19: Greenbelt Health Fair (Greenbelt)
4. 8/20: Cider Mills Healthy Start Community Engagement Event (Gaithersburg)
5. 08/22: Sequoyah Elementary School Back to School Night (Derwood)
6. 08/23: Montgomery County Public School Back to School Fair (Wheaton)
7. CCI Team (Takoma Park Walgreens) 8. CCI Testing Team (Largo Walgreens)
Prize Winner (Largo Walgreens)
Summer of Fun and Fundraising
5th Annual Block Party
CCI’s signature events returned this summer with lots of sun and smiling faces. From our Block Party to the Sunset Soirée, read about our summer of fun below.
August 9th marked the first year CCI’s Block Party was held at its new health center in Greenbelt. With support from the City of Greenbelt, community partners, and sponsors LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics, Interplan, and Korth Construction, CCI was able to give away more than $500 in prizes, distribute 796 items of produce, and feed more than 800 attendees.
Photos by Joseph Edwards
Sunset Soirée
In September, CCI welcomed award-winning and nationally renowned Chefs Ari Augenbaum, Ed Reavis, Eric Adjepong, and Kareem “Mr. Bake” Queeman, to our foodie-themed fundraiser, Sunset Soiree. Together, the chefs brought their talent and flavors to guests who joined us in celebrating and supporting healthier communities.
Photos by Erika Layne
Board Highlight: Bibhash Mukopadhyay
Ask CCI Health Services Board Member Bibhash Mukhopadhyay how he came to join the CCI Board. He’ll tell you it was a whirlwind journey that began with medical care his parents needed and after a few steps, culminated in a position as CCI’s Board Treasurer.
Mukhopadhyay, a trained scientist, had experienced first-hand the inefficiencies of healthcare delivery and wanted to give back through an organization that stood for “care” in the word “healthcare”. He worked in various capacities at large pharmaceutical companies before turning to investing in healthcare companies and eventually starting his own asset management and advisory firm. When he began his own firm, he also began advising endowments, foundations and high net worth individuals on how to use their investing power for good, particularly supporting companies that are making drugs for rare and orphan diseases.
Although he’s lived in Montgomery County for 15 years, Bibhash didn’t know about CCI Health Services until his elderly parents struggled to find care that was both accessible and affordable due to their inadequate insurance coverage.
“My parents became patients there first. While interacting with CCI and its physicians, I read up more about it. The non-profit element was actually very appealing,” says Mukhopadhyay.
The community health model of primary care takes care of patients regardless of their economic status. Delivering care as a one-stop shop for the whole person, prioritizing the health and well-being of the individual over payment, is the right and moral thing to do, according to the board treasurer.
“Healthcare delivery—in my opinion, more broadly, particularly for-profit healthcare delivery—is completely broken,” said Bibhash.
“So I saw CCI as a way of delivering care to people who needed it. I gained indirect lived experience through my parents. That’s when I became a patient and concurrently reached out to Dr. Bruton, stating my interest in contributing in some way.”
Mukhopadhyay made an open offer to volunteer his time and efforts. The offer was quickly accepted as CCI was also in need of a board member with financial skills.
“I had minimal, if any, idea, apart from theoretically reading about what a community health center is, what it is federally mandated to do, what operates under it, et cetera,” said the board member. “I’d been on several public and private biotech company boards, but not one regulated like CCI.”
Two years into his role on the board, Bibhash is now the treasurer and is enjoying the role.
“There’s a mission orientation here which I really, really like. There is an intent, and for the most part, that intent translates into actual action: delivering healthcare to the people who need it. To me, it’s very, very simple. It’s that element that is sacrosanct in what CCI does. That is inspiring.”
He adds that one only needs to go and stand in front of a CCI location’s main door on any given day, and people will know exactly what he means.
“See the spectrum of people who come in, between financial condition and age,” says Bibhash. “It’s actually very heartening to see and observe, and if these people are coming back, we are doing something right.”
For Bibhash, his admiration of CCI’s work goes beyond observation. He’s experienced firsthand how the organization impacts the health of those it serves. When one of his parents experienced a distressing and serious health emergency, CCI was there for them. CCI immediately saw the patient, recognized it was an illness that could lead to cardiovascular issues, and counseled the family to take them to the emergency room. That’s what saved his parent’s life.
He says, “Health is not only about intervening after the disease has happened but preemptively doing things to keep people healthy,” adding that CCI’s WIC program is an excellent example of how the organization intervenes to mitigate challenges that make it hard to stay healthy.
Recognizing that Federal and grant funding can be unpredictable, the Board Treasurer says CCI needs to continue working towards self-sustainability. That’s why he is very interested in growing CCI’s endowment to provide a buffer.
“That pays the bills. That keeps a rainy-day check. That keeps us, for the most part, immune to the capriciousness of policies.”
Mukhopadhyay wants to ensure CCI never has to deny healthcare or end a program because the money runs out. It’s also why he’s excited about CCI’s in-house pharmacy—CCIRx. With two locations and one more on the way, it stands to be a gamechanger for medication adherence by adding convenience for CCI patients while also providing a new revenue stream.
When asked what advice he would give to someone considering joining a non-profit board, he says:
“If you have a bone of mission in your body, you should do it. All of us have specific expertise something unique to offer, either through education, through professional experiences, or lived experiences. All of us on the Board do that.”
Employee Profile: Alexandrea McIntosh-Ogunfolu
Infectious Disease Program Manager
Tell us about your journey.
Are there any achievements you’ve received at work or outside of work that you want to highlight?
When I started at CCI five years ago, my role was to help structure and grow our Infectious Disease (ID)/HIV care services and help end the HIV epidemic. Now, as the ID Program Manager, we’ve scaled our program into two locations, becoming a stable resource in the community for those living with HIV and those seeking PrEP in both Montgomery County and Prince George’s County.
Working at CCI has allowed me to meet and work with all types of people from different walks of life. I get to collaborate with county and state health departments, establish partnerships with community organizations, and develop relationships with local community colleges and high schools.
My years here have been a journey, and I’ve grown so much personally and professionally. Watching the growth and success of the ID Program over the years is a true testament to the dedication of the team I have the privilege of working with. The success I have had here while at CCI wouldn’t have been attainable without the support of the people I’ve met along the way. In addition, I’ve learned the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new.
• Being an integral part in starting CCI’s Annual Block Party in 2021.
• Watching the growth of the ID Program and expansion to two care teams.
• Receiving recognition by HRSA for HIV screening efforts.
• Receiving media recognition for our community HIV testing events.
• Creating and hosting an HIV symposium in partnership with Montgomery County Health Department for primary care clinicians in the area.
411 on Skin Cancer
Sun’s out, sunscreen on! The summer may be wrapping up, but sunscreen should be worn all year long.
The largest organ on the human body is the skin. It serves as a protective barrier against harmful external factors, such as bacteria, chemicals, and ultraviolet (UV) light. Continuous exposure to these factors without proper protection can lead to diseases such as skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. When skin cells grow old and die, new cells replace them. Skin cancer occurs when the growth of skin cells changes, leading to abnormal cells. These abnormal skin cells can invade and destroy healthy body tissue and sometimes break away and spread to other parts of the body.
According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, most skin cancers are caused by exposure to light from the sun or UV lights from tanning beds and tanning lamps. The most common body parts that get a lot of sun include the scalp, face, lips, and ears. While rare, skin cancer can also happen on skin that doesn’t get sun. This includes the soles of the feet, under a fingernail or toenail, inside or behind the ear, and genitals.
While the human body is exposed to sunlight every day, lowering the risk of skin cancer starts with prevention. Here are some ways to lower the risk of developing skin cancer:
Wear sunscreen all year round. Use a broadspectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
Wear dark, protective clothing. Don’t forget sunglasses and a hat.
Don’t use tanning beds. Using tanning beds increases the risk of skin cancer.
Check your skin often. Look for new growths or changes in moles, freckles, bumps, and birthmarks.
If you think you have any signs of skin cancer, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider.
What's Next?
Saturday, October 25 Boo
to the Flu
A playful Halloween-themed event where families can receive flu shots while kids enjoy a Trunk-or-Treat experience.
Friday, November 21 Test for Turkey
Join CCI Health Services, SLK, and Gilead for a Test for Turkey HIV/AIDS awareness event. Community members will be able to get a free turkey when they test for HIV.
Tuesday, December 2
Dine Out Tuesday
For Giving Tuesday, join CCI at All Set Restaurant and Bar for Dine Out Tuesdays, a weekly community giveback program in Silver Spring. A percentage of each check will be donated to CCI.
Contact development@cciweb.org to learn more about engagement opportunities.