The Northwest Buffalo Community Health Care Center is now the Neighborhood Health Center. The new name and brand was unveiled at a press event with local and state elected officials as part of National Health Center Week, an initiative to raise awareness about how federally qualified health centers are delivering a unique approach that targets the health care needs of local communities while saving taxpayer dollars.
Among the elected officials attending the event were New York State Senators Mark Grisanti and Tim Kennedy and Buffalo Common Council members Joseph Golombek and the Reverend Darius Pridgen.
“Our new name and look truly reflect what Neighborhood Health Center is all about and that is a strong partnership of people, and community who work together to meet the unique and diverse health conditions of the people we serve,” said Joanne Haefner, executive director of the Center.
The Neighborhood Health Center provided care to more than 11,000 patients with over 40,000 visits in 2010. The Center anticipates serving more patients in future years with a target of 20,000 patients by 2015. Haefner also states “We also want to assure our community and supporters we continue with our plans to expand farther into the West side later this year. Even with Tuesday’s disappointing announcement from HHS on recipients of the New Access Point grants that completely left out the eight counties of Western New York out.”
“The bottom line is that federally qualified health centers are a vital link to the health care continuum if we are to achieve our collective goals of a healthier community, a more affordable health system and most importantly a better quality of life for all citizens,” Haefner concluded.
Bottom Photo: Common Council Member Joseph Golombek, Jr. joins Joanne Haefner, MS, FNP, executive director, Neighborhood Health Center to unveil the health center’s new logo.