The Moments That Make a Difference
Community Health Worker Awareness Week 2025
Community Health Worker Awareness Week is here! From August 25-29, 2025, we’re joining communities nationwide to celebrate the people who make health care more accessible, equitable, and human.
Community Based Workers (CBWs), including Community Health Workers (CHWs), Peer Navigators, Outreach Specialists, Promotores de Salud, and many more who serve in similar community-centered roles, do much more than provide services. They are connectors, educators, and trusted messengers who bridge the gap between systems and the people they serve. Their work is rooted in relationships, ensuring care reaches those who need it most.
For many people, CHWs are the difference between getting lost in the system and finding the support they need. Their commitment turns barriers into bridges and challenges into opportunities for health and hope. In the stories that follow, you’ll hear directly from CHWs about moments that made a difference.
For Sarah, it was the moment she helped a client escape from a dangerous domestic violence situation.
She didn’t know her rights. Because I gave her the education, she knew what her rights were, and we were able to get her out of that situation. Education is really vital.
For Pat, caring for the community means empowering people and building strength through partnership.
Caring for the community means to empower them and give them the tools to succeed. And for organizations to find more capacity and strength through partnership and collaboration.
For Shawn, it’s his own story that becomes the bridge.
I tell them a story about my life. Where I came from, where I’m at now. There’s always hope at the end. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
For Jamie, it’s the small, unexpected moments that remind her why this work matters.
I was at a fast food drive-thru, and the person serving me told me we saved their life. They had come to us involuntarily as an inpatient psych patient, were stabilized, did our intensive outpatient program, and now had a job.
For Jene, it’s in the moments of genuine human connection.
Every moment that someone comes up with a smile in their eyes, connecting with gratitude. They feel seen, they feel like they belong, and they feel loved. That authentic connection helps all of our neighbors come back again and again.
For Lavonnie, the importance of being a CHW is woven into every interaction.
I’m honored to get the opportunity to work with people to make their lives better. It matters because people matter and being connected to community matters.
Community Health Workers not only connect people to care, they connect us all to healthier, stronger communities.
Stay connected with us beyond CHW Awareness Week! Sign up for our email list to receive news, resources, and ways you can get involved year-round. Together, we can keep building a movement rooted in relationship, care, and community.