Community-Based Workforce Awareness Week Celebrates Connection, Care, and Community

Community-Based Workers play an essential role in helping people connect to care, resources, services, and support. This year, Southwest Washington Community-Based Workforce Awareness Week offered an opportunity to recognize that work, celebrate the people doing it, and create space for workers to gather, connect, and recharge.

Observed July 20–24, 2026, Community-Based Workforce Awareness Week honors the skilled and essential workforce that supports individuals and families across Southwest Washington. Community-Based Workers help people understand and navigate complicated systems. They connect community members with care, services, resources, and opportunities, while also advocating for people whose experiences and needs are too often overlooked.

They also bring something to this work that cannot be replaced: lived experience, cultural knowledge, language access, and a deep understanding of the communities they serve.

“Community-Based Workers are often among the first to recognize what is happening in the community,” said Nicole Hamberger, HealthConnect Network Manager. “You see where people are getting stuck, you notice barriers and gaps that may not be visible to larger institutions, and you often find creative ways to help people move through systems that are not designed with them in mind.”

A special milestone this year was the City of Vancouver formally recognizing July 20–24, 2026, as Community-Based Workforce Awareness Week. SWACH presented the proclamation to Vancouver City Council, and Executive Director Betsy Larson attended to accept the recognition on behalf of the organization and the workforce.

The proclamation marked an important step in making Community-Based Workers and their impact more visible across the region.

“This is a proclamation that helps make the community-based workforce and the essential work you do more visible to our broader community,” Hamberger said. “It also creates an opportunity for more leaders, organizations, and community members to understand the value and impact of this workforce.”

SWACH hopes to continue growing the reach and recognition of Community-Based Workforce Awareness Week in future years by engaging more cities, communities, organizations, and partners across the region.

While formal recognition is important, SWACH also wanted this year’s celebration to include time for Community-Based Workers to be together and be celebrated. The event gave participants a chance to pause from the daily demands of their work, spend time with peers, and choose from activities designed to support creativity, learning, wellness, and connection.

Participants were able to take part in a variety of sessions, including a painting and drawing station led by SWACH, a microgreens activity led by the WSU Extension Master Gardening Program, a cooking workshop led by Clark County Food Bank, jewelry making and beadwork led by Curtis Rogers, and a meditation session led by Ma. Caroline Malabanan Lopez. Lunch was provided by Little Conejo.

In the afternoon, SWACH’s Basevi Adamo and Gabe Heredia led a bingo game, creating another opportunity for the group to relax, laugh, and connect. The group was also introduced to SWACH’s new Executive Director, Betsy Larson.

For Mercedes Zahler, HealthConnect Community Engagement Manager, the day was about both recognition and restoration.

“Community-Based Workers spend so much time caring for others,” Zahler said. “You show up for people, you listen, you help them navigate the most difficult moments, complicated systems, and major transitions in their lives. You listen, problem solve, advocate, encourage, and help people find their way forward.”

She also acknowledged that while the work is meaningful, it can be demanding and is not always recognized in the ways it should be.

“This is a day to recognize your contributions, but it’s also a day for you to enjoy yourselves,” Zahler said. “We hope you laugh, learn something interesting, have some good conversations, and leave a little bit lighter, connected, and recharged.”

Community-Based Workforce Awareness Week is about honoring the people behind the support: the workers who build trust, reduce barriers, share knowledge, strengthen connections, and help communities move forward.

As SWACH looks ahead, this year’s celebration and proclamation represent a meaningful step toward broader recognition, deeper investment, and continued support for the Community-Based Workforce across Southwest Washington.