About CDC
Community Connections
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”
—Winston Churchill
CDC and its employees develop community sensitivity, participate in building a healthy society, and have a heightened sense of responsibility to their environment that benefits the common good. CDC staff engagement embraces the notions of global citizenship and interdependence and creates opportunities to act as empowered agents of positive social change.
Tom Harkin Global Communications Center
Located in Atlanta, the Tom Harkin Global Communications Center provides state-of-the-art meeting spaces for scientific training programs, distance learning, and CDC’s worldwide outreach and collaborative efforts. This conference center is CDC’s hub for bringing together public health professionals, government, private and public communities, as well as the general public in an exchange of ideas and information to advance public health.
Global Health Odyssey Museum
Located at the Atlanta location, this unique exhibit area features award-winning permanent and changing exhibitions that focus on a variety of public health topics, as well as the history of CDC. The exhibits in the Global Health Odyssey Museum require no advance reservations, although international visitors must present a valid passport for entry. See www.cdc.gov/gcc/exhibit/tours/ for more information.
Sustainable Volunteer Events
Guiding the direction of CDC’s volunteer efforts are the agency’s four overarching Health Protection Goals and the Executive Order - Responsibilities Of Federal Agencies With Respect To Volunteer Community Service, April 27, 2006.
American Red Cross
CDC has been the biggest blood donor among state and federal governments for two years with 741 pints in 2007 and 683 pints in 2008.
Atlanta Commissioned Association
CDC Commissioned Corps Officers participate in the Georgia Adopt-a-Highway quarterly roadside cleanup that is recognized by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Atlanta Community Food Bank
CDC collected 5,908 pounds of food in 2008—the largest donation among participating federal agencies.
CDC Disease Detective Camp
CDC scientists volunteer as camp instructors to help 54 high school juniors and seniors learn about public health. Enrollment in the camp is free.
CDC Speakers Bureau
CDC employees of all ranks, grades, and areas of expertise volunteer their time through the Speakers Bureau to speak to hundreds of groups about public health issues.
Combined Federal Campaign
During the 2007 campaign, 1,564 CDC employees pledged just over $644,000. As of fall 2008, collected pledges exceeded $475,000.
Go Green, Get Healthy Initiative
Employees volunteer to promote health and well-being, quality of work-life, and environmental stewardship through sustainable behaviors.
Examples of Special Volunteer Events
Health Walks
CDC staff participated in or sponsored health walks:
- Georgia Walk for Autism. On April 12, 2008, 20 walkers from the National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities participated in a walk to promote awareness and education on autism.
- AIDS Walk Atlanta. On October 19, 2008, the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention coordinated the CDC team of more than 60 employees, family, and friends to raise more than $3,000 to participate in the AIDS walk and support education and prevention efforts in the Atlanta area.
- American Heart Association. On November 1, 2008, the Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention was one of the top five sponsors of this national event in Atlanta and raised over $3,000 to support heart disease and stroke research and education.
Oakland Cemetery Foundation
On September 13, 2008, 12 volunteers from the Coordinating Office for Global Health assisted the Atlanta, Georgia, community by planting trees, spreading mulch, and propagating new plants destroyed by tornado damage.
New Shoes Campaign
In April 2008, more than 120 employees from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, collected shoes that were in good condition for children in Honduras.
Volunteering in Thailand
During 2008, CDC staff in Thailand engaged in a range of volunteer activities:
- Providing physical therapy to disabled children.
- Reading to the blind.
- Vaccinating dogs and cats at a rescue organization.
- Refurbishing CDC’s facilities.
- Taking children with cancer on social outings.
- Teaching high school students about sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
- Volunteering at US Embassy events.
CDC Speakers Bureau
The CDC Speakers Bureau has been in existence since August 1998. It evolved as a means to meet the public’s request for first-hand, real time information on hot topics and emerging public health issues. Since its inception, the Speakers Bureau has received numerous requests from all types of stakeholders such as schools, universities, community organizations, business corporations, and nonprofit organizations. CDC employees from all disciplines and areas of expertise volunteer their time to speak to communities throughout the United States about CDC’s mission of collaborating to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health—through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats.
The Speakers Bureau has received many requests from around the world on topics such as pandemic influenza, emergency preparedness, women’s health, obesity, vaccines and immunizations, and CDC in the twenty-first century, as well as a host of other topics. The Speakers Bureau serves as an integral part of CDC’s commitment to achieve true improvements in health and well-being of peoples’ lives through education.
Related Links
State of CDC
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
24 Hours/Every Day - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
