American Red Cross Representatives Visited CCACC

On February 18, 2025, the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) greeted two distinguished guests from the American Red Cross: Executive Director Curt Luthye and Dr. Aviva (Chengcheng) Liu.

Luthye serves as the Executive Director of the Montgomery, Howard, and Frederick Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross, while Dr. Liu is a Data Engagement Specialist at the American Red Cross, holding a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Global Health Policy. Their visit aimed to gain a deeper understanding of CCACC's diverse services and explore potential future collaborations. This visit was facilitated by Dr. Yuchi Huang (Chairman of CCACC Board of Directors).

CCACC warmly welcomed the guests, attended by Rita S. Lewi (Executive Director of CCACC), Li-Fang C. Liu (Deputy Executive Director of CCACC), Ned Li (Director of CCACC Adult Day Healthcare Center, ADHC), Kate Lu (Director of CCACC Health Center), Jerry Wang (Deputy Director of ADHC).

The visit began with a tour of the newly relocated CCACC Health Center, where Dr. Huang and Director Lu provided an overview of the center's daily operations and healthcare services. ED Luthye and Dr. Liu then proceeded to the ADHC, where Director Li introduced the center's care model and senior care services. Next, the group visited the CCACC Art Gallery, where ED Lewi, who also serves as Director of CCACC Art Gallery guided the guests through the ongoing exhibition. The unique artistic atmosphere left a lasting impression on both of them.

During a discussion session in the conference room, Dr. Huang introduced CCACC's history and mission, while ED Lewi provided an overview of CCACC's seven divisions and their services. ED Luthye highlighted potential collaboration opportunities between the American Red Cross and CCACC in life-saving skills training, including First Aid, CPR/AED, Lifeguarding, Emergency Response Measures, and Specialized Training for Schools, Faculty, and Coaches.

He also pointed out the current shortage of blood supplies among the Chinese and Hispanic communities, which poses challenges for matching blood types in emergencies. He appealed to the Chinese community to actively participate in blood donation efforts.

It is worth noting that CCACC has had a longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross. For years, CCACC Health Center has collaborated with the American Red Cross of the Washington, D.C. area to organize annual blood drives. Additionally, Dr. Liu attended CCACC Health Center's New Location Opening Ceremony on December 10, 2024, and also attended the Lunar New Year Celebration at Westfield Montgomery Mall hosted by CCACC on January 25, 2025.

ED Luthye and Dr. Liu highly praised CCACC's efforts in promoting community health and public well-being and expressed their enthusiasm for future collaboration. After the visit, ED Luthye shared his thoughts on social media, stating: "Great day getting to know CCACC better! Thank you for being generous with your time, resources and care. Together we're building a more resilient community."

(Article by CCACC Administrative Office)

From left to right: ED Curt Luthye, Director Kate Lu, Dr. Yuchi Huang.