March 30th is National Doctors’ Day, and to celebrate our Mary’s Center’s physicians we sat down with four of our providers to learn more about their journey in becoming a doctor and why they chose to work at Mary’s Center. We are incredibly grate...
Throughout the month of March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month with the theme “Fuel for the Future.” The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes Registered Dietitians (RDs) and nutritionists as the food and nutrition experts who provid...
Cross-sector workforce shortages have seen a dramatic increase since the COVID-19 Pandemic began. This shortage has hit the K-12 public school system's mental health workforce particularly hard.
Mental health practitioners who support student...
The theme for National Nutrition Month, taking place in March 2023, asks us to think about how we are fueling our future with the food choices we make today. The focus is on sustainable nutrition options to support every lifecycle phase while...
Dr. Vineet Dhar loves seeing a child happy and unafraid after their dental appointment.
Mary’s Center’s Social Change Model makes that possible by combining healthcare, social services, and education all under one roof. Dr. Dhar uphold...
For the past three years, Mary’s Center’s Silver Spring clinic has been home to one of the many refrigerators in the region that supplies fresh meals daily to anyone who needs a meal, no questions asked. This project, known as Feed the Fridge, was...
This past November, Mary’s Center was excited to partner with Labcorp as our Corporate Partner of the Month during National Diabetes Month. Strengthening our communities is a priority for both Mary’s Center and Labcorp, which is why we are commit...
The All of Us Research Program is building the largest and most inclusive health research initiative of its kind. With more information, researchers can see patterns emerge, make new discoveries, and better understand disease.
There are m...
Fall is upon us, and October is a perfect time to brush up on how to keep our friends and family safe during the holiday season!
Proper preparation and storage are what we should strive for as we frequent the kitchen, but there are some ...
Childhood obesity has been on the rise for the past 2 years. As we enter this new phase of the COVID 19 pandemic where social distancing restrictions are more relaxed and children are once again participating in outdoor activities, and team spor...
By Ariste Sallas-Brookwell, LICSW, Director of Behavioral Health Integration
September is Recovery Month. In the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 40....
Hearing about monkeypox in the news over the last few months may feel similar to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, monkeypox is much less of a threat. It does not spread as easily as COVID-19, and while it can cause some uncomforta...
Getting ready for the first day of school is about more than just buying new pencils and notebooks. By equipping your child with good physical health, mental health, and nutrition, you can empower them to thrive in their new class. Find tips belo...
By Lisle Cole, Certified Lactation Counselor
Families have to make a lot of important decisions when they have a new baby, especially choosing how to feed the baby. Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics – often referred to as “your b...
The pandemic arrived just as Cesia was starting to think about the college application process, near the end of her sophomore year of high school.
Cesia with her mom and younger sister
Applying to college is already challenging, especially ...
The moment thousands of parents have been waiting for is finally here! As of June 18, the COVID-19 vaccine has been approved and recommended by the federal government for babies and children as young as six months.
Due to the limited vaccine ...
By Felix Hernandez, Advocacy and Fatherhood Program Manager
When men take care of and have healthy connection to themselves, they’re able to show up for their community in positive ways. Men’s Health Month in June is a time to raise awareness ...
By Cintia Castillo, Nutrition Education Tech
Spring is in the air, and also in our local farmers markets! The kale and potatoes offered through the winter have made way for brighter colors with sweet and spicy peppers, peaches, tomatoes, berri...
Our later years are full of transitions, from retirement to managing our aging bodies to loss of loved ones. These changes can be hard to process, especially when you add in the isolation and stress brought on by the pandemic. According to the CD...
By Fernanda Ruiz, Home Visiting Director, and Georgette Saad, Senior Early Childhood Manager
People always ask how our kids are doing and they are excited to see how much our kids have grown. However, very few people ask how parents and caregi...
By Dr. Laura Blinkhorn, Family Physician/Geriatrician
As we age, we need to take extra care to stay healthy and prevent illness since our bodies are not as good at fighting off and recovering from infection. COVID-19 has been a prime examp...
Pregnancy and childbirth will bring about some of the most exciting moments in your life, but this can also be a difficult and overwhelming time. With the added stressors of racism and bias that people of color often face in their health care, ha...
Food insecurity is an issue for people of all ages in the district, but older adults in DC have the highest rate of hunger in comparison to the rest of the nation, Feeding America reports. DC Hunger Solutions found that in 2020, nearly a third...
By Ana Chavez, WIC Breastfeeding Counselor and Nutrition Technician
When we hear about spices, most people think of food from the cultures of India, the Middle East, and Africa. It’s true that rich spices came from those regions, but today I w...
By Nabani Ashraf, WIC Nutritionist Assistant
Spices and herbs have always played a strong role in cultural heritages. Historically, spices provided great sources of power and wealth, as they were used for both culinary and medical purposes. In...
The theme of this year’s National Nutrition Month®, “Celebrate a World of Flavors,” takes us back to the familiar foods we love. It is a journey to the market we used to visit, to grandma’s kitchen, to the country where we or our parents or grand...
Mary’s Center understands that while pregnancy is an exciting time, it can also be a time filled with questions and uncertainty. We are committed to providing high-quality, equitable health care to all who come through our doors, which is the dri...
By Lisle Cole, Breastfeeding Counselor
Growing up, I remember how my two grandmothers would feed their family and friends as a way to share food, love, time, and memories. No matter how little we may have had, no one would ever know becaus...
Today on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and every day, we must acknowledge and address the imbalance of higher HIV rates for Black Americans to improve the health of our communities. Read our Q&A with Mary’s Center’s Public Health Out...
By Michelle Timogan Moses, Safe Sleep Program Coordinator
Keeping your baby safe, happy, and healthy is your main focus as a new parent. Even while infants are sleeping, there are important precautions you need to take to keep your precious on...
When it comes to our health, there are so many questions for which we don't have an answer. That’s why Mary’s Center is proud to be part of the All of Us Research Program from the National Institutes of Health. All of Us has a simple mi...
Picking up your prescription before leaving your doctor's office is the ultimate convenience. You save a trip to the pharmacy and you can start taking your medications with no delays.
These were some of the main reasons Mary's Center decided t...
Every family has their own delicious holiday traditions, and this year we are excited to share flavors all the way from Italy to Ethiopia through some of our staff’s most treasured holiday recipes.
Our 800+ staff members encompass dozens of cu...
By Agapé Gooden, RDN, WIC Nutritionist
All the delicious vegetables that are in season right now are wonderful for making healthy holiday sides and adding color to your meals. Each one also contains different nutrients that are important for y...
By Danielle Zimber, Public Services Outreach Services Navigator
My work at Mary’s Center focuses on HIV outreach and prevention, so celebrating World AIDS Day on December 1 is very meaningful to me. This day is designated as a time to rais...
By Michelle Singleton, Director of the Bernice Fonteneau Senior Wellness Center, and Teresa Moore, Director of the Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center
The pandemic has been tough on all of us, and especially isolating for older adults. During...
“Teens teach us a lot, and vice-versa… It’s a give and take, and they’re honestly the best group to work with because they’re at a pivotal moment in their life, where depending on what you give them…either they’ll go off and do great things, or i...
By Minati O’Connell, Nutrition Intern, with the Mary’s Center Nutrition Team
During the holiday season, we look forward to festive gatherings with our friends, family, and certainly, lots of delicious food. Most of the calories we eat these da...
By Ariste Sallas-Brookwell, LICSW, Director of Behavioral Health Integration
Have you ever worried or wondered whether your substance use is serving you?
The past 19 months we’ve experienced a global pandemic, climate change-related weathe...
By Jason Kim, BS, RDH, Dental Hygienist, and Jillian Hartman, BSDH, RDH, Dental Hygienist
Have you ever had a dental cavity or bleeding gums, despite how diligent you were about brushing and flossing every day? Here’s a secret – keeping your m...
A Photo Is Worth A Thousand Words
In the photo above, Silver Spring mom Heidi Metcalfe Lewis is sitting in an empty bathtub (fully clothed), responding to work emails while keeping an eye on her one-year-old daughter who was playing at a water ...
By Kathleen McNeely, Nutritionist
Stigma against children in larger bodies is often overlooked as a contributor to childhood obesity, but it’s important to talk about it. This month in honor of National Childhood Obesity Month, we’re sharing t...
Behind every successful company, there are people with purpose and passion. Since their establishment in 2016, Community Health Partners (CHP) has established a corporate culture committed to service and the betterment of their community. They pr...
By the Mary’s Center Nutrition Team
We have all experienced changes in our eating routines since the pandemic started. With new schedules and limited budgets, it’s not always easy to maintain structured, healthy meals for our families. And now...
By Stephanie Mintz, Student Services Director and Community School Coordinator, Briya Public Charter School
In honor of Children's Health Day, I am grateful for Briya Public Charter School’s long-standing and evolving partnership with Mary’s C...
By Maria Gomez, President and CEO
From a young age, I learned never to take my health for granted. A healthy life should be a human right, but for so many of us, health care is too expensive, too complex, too limited.
In the rushed heal...
By Lisle Cole, Certified Lactation Specialist, MBA, Breastfeeding Counselor, and Akua Odi Boateng, MS, RD, LD, WIC Director
Breastfeeding is beneficial for both parents and babies; it protects babies from infections, aids mothers in healing af...
By Akua Odi Boateng, MS, RD, LDN, WIC Director, and Cinthia Castillo, WIC Nutrition Education Technician, and
Summer is one of the best times to taste local fruits and vegetables, such as apples, cantaloupe, bell peppers, green beans, peaches...
At Mary's Center, we are privileged to have such talented and committed employees, whose hard work enables us to serve nearly 60,000 participants a year. We are incredibly grateful to so many within our Mary’s Center family who not only put their...
When Kenia immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador alone at just six years old, she was met with a tearful hug from her mother who had arrived a few years earlier. Kenia had been nervous about traveling by herself – “I was this little girl surrou...
Next month, backpacks will unzip, notebooks will be filled, and school doors will open. After more than a year of virtual learning, most schools will return to full-time in-person education this fall.
Mary’s Center Pediatrician Dr. Letizia Val...
Great news – if you have kids under 18, you could get extra money from the federal government this year!
This money is coming from the Child Tax Credit, which was increased and advanced for 2021 under the American Rescue Plan. Even if you have...
By Antonio Caro, Development Officer
Mary’s Center is proud to celebrate our immigrant community during Immigrant Heritage Month in June. Throughout the month, we are using the power of storytelling to bring the immigrant experience to light.
...
By the Mary’s Center LGBTQ+ Committee
Nowadays, we have a lot more words to describe ourselves than we used to. Instead of being forced to conform to male or female, straight or gay, people can choose from a whole new vocabulary that mirrors t...
We are excited to share a new podcast series featuring Mary's Center's phenomenal behavioral health team!
The Difference Maker Series @ The Pod of DC is the latest podcast from host and producer Rick Bernstein, spotlighting healthcare heroes i...
If you are having a baby, a doula may be just what you need to facilitate a comfortable pregnancy and birth. Doulas are trained workers who support you in a non-medical capacity through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. They provide ed...
By Paige Warner, Donor Relations Associate
As we reflect on the impact the pandemic has had on our community, it is apparent that COVID-19 affected more than just people’s physical health. The pandemic has taken a toll on the financial and emo...
From vegan cooking to salsa dancing, Mary’s Center staff share what they do to maintain their physical and mental health, in honor of National Women’s Health Week (May 9-15).
Top: Marisa enjoying an outdoor workout; Bottom: Marisa’s dog Lu...
The time after birth is fun and full of surprises, but it can also be hectic and overwhelming. Mary’s Center Pediatrician Dr. Jessica Schroeder has advice on what to expect and how to keep your baby safe and healthy.
Taking Care of your Ba...
By Sara Hourwitz, Assistant Director of Individual Giving
Earlier this year, Mary’s Center was thrilled to welcome Scott D. Pearson as one of the newest members of our Board of Directors. While Scott may be new to the Board, Mary’s Center is c...
By Carlos Merchan, Home Visiting Program Manager, and Felix Hernandez, Advocacy and Fatherhood Supervisor
As adults, we have a lot of responsibilities, and that can be overwhelming even when we’re not in the middle of a global pandemic. Unders...
By Antonio Caro, Development Officer
At Mary’s Center, we bring compassionate people together to impact lives and strengthen communities – individuals like Viki Betancourt, one of the newest members of our Board of Directors. Her path to Mary’...
After months of waiting, you finally got your COVID-19 vaccine! But now what? Can you hug your friends again? Get rid of all your masks? Jet off on a vacation?
Mary’s Center Director of Adult and Family Medicine Dr. Dana Mueller is here to ans...
For nearly 33 years, Mary’s Center has made healthcare more accessible for thousands of individuals with limited resources throughout the DC metropolitan area. Mary’s Center offers care to all who walk through our doors, regardless of ability to ...
To my dear Mary’s Center community,
With mixed emotions and immense gratitude, I share with you today that after 33 arduous and rewarding years, I will be departing Mary’s Center at the end of 2021.
When we planted the first humble se...
By Carolyn Nestman, BS, WIC Nutritionist Assistant
Carolyn Nestman, WIC Nutritionist Assistant
“I HATE this seeded bread,” I remember my spirited sister declaring to my mom at 6 years old. To get our family to eat a little healthier, my mom...
By Donna Dunston, MS, LN, WIC Nutrition Coordinator
Donna Dunston, Nutrition Coordinator
There it is! In your face all day now that we are working from home. The dreaded refrigerator. The holy grail that holds all things dear to us. FOOD!
...
By Carolina Sierra MS, CNS, Nutrition Services Coordinator
All of us have a unique way of doing things, from the way we love to how we practice religion, dress ourselves, and prepare our meals. These customs and habits are all part of who we a...
There’s nothing Dr. Sandra Kim loves more than seeing a child hop out of the dental chair with a big smile on their face after their appointment.
Dr. Sandra Kim
Dr. Kim is one of our dentists here at Mary’s Center, and for her, it’s not jus...
In honor of Black History Month, Mary’s Center staff share their perspectives on how systemic discrimination and the historic abuse of trust inflicted by medical research impacts vaccination decision-making for communities of color.
Dr. Ra...
Hola Cultura interviewed Mary's Center Outreach Coordinator Airam Thurman in late 2020, and we are re-sharing the interview now during National Condom Month, with Valentine's Day around the corner. View the original post, including the Spanish ve...
By Tollie B. Elliott, Sr., MD, Chief Medical Officer
This blog post is from February 2021. For the latest COVID-19 information, click here.
Dr. Elliott, Chief Medical Officer
After all these months of suffering, we finally have hope with...
By Carmella Sotelino, Events Coordinator
Community health centers nationwide are coping with the financial implications of the pandemic. When the first wave of COVID-19 hit, health centers like Mary’s Center took on unprecedented expenses as w...
It’s hard to believe there are only three days left until the new year. Despite the unprecedented challenges of 2020, the support of our volunteers, donors, partners, and staff enabled Mary’s Center to adapt quickly to meet the needs of our regio...
By Antonio Caro, Development Officer
“During the holidays, we tend to focus on materialistic things. What can you get? At the end of the year, it’s important to think beyond what you want and focus on giving back. And it’s not just a one-time ...
On October 16th, Mary’s Center held its 2020 Vision Virtual Gala, raising over $460,000 to help under-resourced communities in the region reclaim health, hope, and opportunity. Leading up to the Gala, supporters created their own peer-to-peer ca...
By Paige Warner, Donor Relations Associate
Trudi Davis, a freelance writer and longtime Adams Morgan resident, was familiar with Mary’s Center’s work. But as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, she developed a new l...
Since March, the pandemic has turned our world upside down in many ways, causing panic and uncertainty. Items that many of us took for granted, like toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies, were suddenly in high demand. These cri...
By Antonio Caro, Development Officer & Paige Warner, Donor Relations Associate
When Cynthia Avazpour first encountered Mary’s Center 10 years ago, working as a consultant to help federally qualified health centers improve their billing systems...
By Antonio Caro, Development Officer
“The new Melhek that goes to college wants to take her degree and build healthier communities back in Ethiopia. That’s my goal – to take Mary’s Center’s model and change lives in my homeland. I want to e...
During the current pandemic, Mary’s Center, like other health clinics, has encountered numerous challenges to obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect our staff and participants from the spread of the virus in our clinics, includ...
Uneasy. Anxious. Fearful. Many of us feel these emotions daily from the
constant updates on COVID-19 cases, unemployment claims, and even deaths. But
what keeps us strong and united are the stories of courage, care, and strength.
Stories from our...
By Antonio Caro, Development OfficerLike you, we’ve been trying to make sense of these difficult times. Having to make extreme adjustments in our lives and priorities is no easy task – especially for people who are unemployed, uninsured, and unfa...
By Sara Hourwitz, Assistant Director of Individual Giving
Delivering lasting change to communities doesn’t happen overnight; it takes hard work every day of the year. But thanks to the monthly support of community heroes like Dr. Mary Fairba...
The 2020 census is
here! Starting this week, you and every resident in the United States will
receive a notice in the mail asking you to complete the census. This questionnaire
is sent from the Census Bureau and collects important information eve...
By Magali Ceballos
March 10, 2020 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The day sheds light on the impact that HIV/AIDS has on women and girls around the country, and supports those who are living with the in...
By: Ayla Badell, LCPC
"The most difficult problems facing LGBT Latino youth are related to negative responses to their LGBT identity. Concern about family acceptance is the top problem identified, and having their families accept and support t...
By Carolina Sierra, Nutrition Services Coordinator
Learn how with your Nutritionists at Mary’s Center!
In observance of National Nutrition Month in March, those of us who provide nutrition counseling and education at Mary’s Center, including our ...
By Sara Hourwitz, Assistant Director of Individual Giving
At Mary’s Center, we are grateful to all of our kind supporters, whether they help us through in-kind donations, monetary contributions, volunteerism, or community advocacy. We are espe...
By Dara Koppelman, Chief Nursing Officer
As media coverage of the Coronavirus outbreak increases, we continue to receive more questions from our participants. Understandably, people wonder if they need to worry about this outbreak, and what th...
By Carolina Sierra, Nutrition Services Coordinator
Putting restrictions on foods that we love and grew up with can be a source of distress. Part of your holiday self-care routine can include allowing yourself to enjoy your favorite foods in th...
By Antonio Caro, Development Officer
“We aren’t meant to be alone. In every stage of life, you need some form of support. Whether it’s a hug, a smile, a mentor or financial assistance, kind gestures both big and small help us move forward. It ...
By: Dr. Dana Mueller, Director of Adult and Family Medicine.
As a primary care doctor, I recommend almost all my patients get vaccinated against Influenza (or Flu). Young, old, pregnant, healthy, or chronically ill – ev...
By: Jillian Hartman, Hygienist
A healthy senior lifestyle today requires more than a regular game of pickle ball or a walk in the park. It should include attentive oral health care and a healthy brushing routine follo...
By: Arianna Rodriguez, Domestic Violence Advocate
As the Domestic Violence Advocate at Mary’s Center, I’ve seen how abusive relationships are often cyclical in many ways alternating between tension, explosion, a honeymoon phase, forgiveness, ...
For Sexual Health Awareness Month, Mary’s
Center’s LaKeisha Agnew, Community Outreach and Prevention, sat down to answer questions
about sexual health she often hears from community members and staff. LaKeisha
has experience with education, preve...
By: Austyn Holleman, MSW MPH LGSW, Manager of Senior Mental Health Project
This September, Mary’s Center is commemorating Healthy Aging Month by talking about one of the biggest health concerns facing seniors today: loneliness. It may seem su...
By Maria Gomez
For those of you who are not familiar with public charge, this rule has existed for over a hundred years to identify individuals who may depend on government public benefits as their main source of support.
With good rea...
At Mary’s Center, we love children, and we want to see them happy and healthy. Vaccines play an important part in child health. In commemoration of National Immunization Awareness Month in August, one of our pediatricians, Dr. Christian...
Back in 2016, Mary’s Center joined some of the top workplaces in the Washington, DC metro area and was recognized as one of the top employers in the region. I had only been at Mary’s Center a little over year and I was, admittedly, taken abac...
