CDC Mutual Aid Network

CDC Mutual Aid Network aims to ‘save public health’ and provide financial assistance to former and current employees “Closer Look” host Rose Scott talked with guests about the mission of the newly formed CDC Mutual Aid Network that has connected former and current CDC employees to a wide range of resources and distr...

Last week, the founders of @cdcmutualaid.bsky.social and @firedbutfighting.bsky.social, along with a former CDC employee, sat down for an interview with public radio host Rose Scott from WABE. You can listen here: www.wabe.org/cdc-mutual-a...

Golden yellow t-shirt with blue writing that says "In my Save CDC Era"; text is surrounded by 4-pointed stars in shades of blue.

Green short-sleeve t-shirt with dark green text that says "Introverted but willing to discuss public health."

Black cropped feminine cut hoodie with green text that says "In my Save Public Health Era"; text is surrounded by 4-pointed stars in shades of green.

Blue short-sleeved t-shirt with dark purple text that reads "Public Health Nerd." across the chest.

Are you in your "Save CDC" Era (like we are?) Check out the new merch we released this week: cdc-mutual-aid-network.printful.me

👋Help! Last Call! 🔔
Public comments period closes today Nov 24, 2025 for RFK Jr’s next ACIP meeting.
There are 732 comments as of this post. Can you help us get to at least 800 comments?

🗣️Speak up and get loud. 📣 Add your comment NOW!

bit.ly/ACIPDec2025

On this Public Health Thank You Day, we're INCREDIBLY thankful for public health workers around the world - And of course, current and former CDC workers and CDC leaders. In many ways, our work and experience is needed now more than ever. We see you and we appreciate you!

And we appreciate all that @firedbutfighting.bsky.social @altcdc.altgov.info and @cdcmutualaid.bsky.social continue to do for CDC staff and to protect the public's health. Standing shoulder to shoulder with you

“Embarrassing” and “horrifying”: CDC workers describe the new vaccines and autism page "The best way I can put it is it feels like we're on a hijacked airplane."

Earlier this week, a new page titled “Vaccines and Autism” appeared on the CDC website. The agency's employees are not happy about it.

“The best way I can put it is it feels like we’re on a hijacked airplane.”

YouTube video by Gordi Studios CDC Mutual Aid Network Video with Deb Houry

"It's a dangerous loss for every American."

Recently, we were lucky to sit down with former CDC Medical Director @drdebhoury.bsky.social. Sharing her message about the thousands of CDC staff who have lost their jobs this year, and how you can help support them.
www.youtube.com/shorts/v0NLT...

The Union of Concerned Scientists invites you to a virtual science advocacy training on how the scientific community can push back against the growing authoritarian threat and stand up for our democracy. Scientists, doctors, engineers, social scientists, technical experts, public health professionals, and science supporters around the country, we need your voices now. Date: Thursday, November 20 Time: 3:00–4:00 p.m. ET

🧪🗳️Scientists and experts around the country: we need your voice now! Please join us November 20 for a virtual training on how the scientific community can stand up for our democracy and push back against the growing authoritarian threat in the US. Register here: act.ucsusa.org/44007SY

Even though the government shutdown has ended, we know that people are still struggling.

This is why we've increased our end-of-year fundraising goal to $250K - We want to be able to help as many of our colleagues as possible. We can't do that without you!

www.cdcresourceportal.org/donate
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We think this really demonstrates how hard the government shutdown has been for current, former, and recently fired CDC workers. (The latest round of mass firings, or "RIFs" of federal workers, occurred on October 10, which coincided with hundreds of new applications to our Fund.)

An infographic about the CDC Mutual Aid Fund, including data as of November 11th: 480 applications received since April 2025, with an 800% increase from August-October. More than $100K raised, most of which has already been distributed. We're raising our fundraising goal to $250K by the end of the year.

CDC Mutual Aid Fund passed two milestones this month:
1. We have raised (and will fully distribute) over $100K to fired and furloughed CDC employees since April, thanks to our generous donors.
2. We have had an *800% increase in applications for assistance* since August.
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Did you know that about 25% of Federal workers are Veterans? It takes a special kind of dedication to serve your country in uniform and then come back for another tour of duty.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your dedicated public service. Happy Veterans' Day!

a poster that says thank you for your service with an american flag ALT: a poster that says thank you for your service with an american flag

To the Veterans who protect us,

We promise to continue to uphold our oath of office “…to protect and defend the constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic…”

We see you. We appreciate you.

"There’s no substitute for actual financial support when you’re in need." We have another success story to share from Rebecca, one of the 60+ families that the CDC Mutual Aid Fund have been able to support thanks to your generous donations: www.cdcresourceportal.org/stories/the-...

"To those employees that are still there, we say “we have your back;” for those that are in exile we say, thank you and we await your return, when we can rebuild the agency to what it should be.”

We can't read this without ugly crying. From the bottom of our hearts - Thank you so much, @apha.org !!

APHA announces 2025 awards for excellence in public health Every year, the American Public Health Association honors excellence in public health leadership and innovation, from state and local health officials to those speaking up for public health from the h...

Today we found out that @apha.org is awarding the 2025 Executive Director’s Citation Award to "Staff of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Current and In Exile."

We're not crying - you're crying.

www.apha.org/news-and-med...

If you use "By Heart" infant formula, please pay attention to this recall! And HEARTFELT gratitude to the CDC and FDA workers who got this recall out rapidly this weekend, WITHOUT PAY.

Video CDC staff are 'struggling' to keep Americans safe in shutdown: Former CDC leader Dr. Deb Houry, former deputy director of the CDC, discusses the state of the agency amid terminations and a government shutdown.

The furlough and firings at CDC hurt all all of us as the nation's public health agency is unable to respond to communities and is lacking basic functions like HR and IRB abcnews.go.com/US/video/cdc...

A dark grey t-shirt on a white background. The text on the shirt says "There's nothing spookier than a future without CDC" surrounded by illustrations of a cat, a bat, a ghost, a rat, and a spider and spider web.

We're retiring our wildly popular spooky CDC merch in the next few days - If you haven't grabbed a shirt or bag yet, now is your chance!! cdc-mutual-aid-network.printful.me

Another story from one of our recipients: After decades of working at the CDC, this former federal employee was let go from the agency in February. They found hope and stability thanks to support from the CDC Mutual Aid Network during a tough time. www.cdcresourceportal.org/stories/find...

The National Public Health Coalition (NPHC) released new data revealing that since January 2025, CDC has lost one-third of its workforce. CDCDataProject.org The dashboard details the impact on 150 CDC programs, threatening outbreak responses, disease prevention efforts, and community health funding to name a few. NPHC warns these cuts severely harm public health nationwide. press release Oct 30, 2025

National Public Health Coalition released new data showing impacts of illegal firings across CDC since Jan 2025. CDC has lost one-third of its civil-service workforce & over 150 programs. Explore an interactive dashboard. See how cuts are undermining public health nationwide.
CDCDataProject.org
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If you don't know how to support fired or furloughed and unpaid feds, look for a Mutual Aid Fund! This is why we set up the CDC Mutual Aid Network, to make supporting our CDC colleagues easier: www.cdcresourceportal.org/home

Did you know that thousands of Active Duty Officers in the US Public Health Service are working without pay right now because of the government shutdown? Including officers who are *DEPLOYED* and away from their families. Not to mention, thousands of retired officers are not getting retirement pay.

These are great resources for anyone struggling financially and also struggling to feed their pets.

We couldn't agree more!! (Our spooky shirts & bags are still available on our store page: cdc-mutual-aid-network.printful.me )

Fundraising our buns off to try and raise $$ for our fired fed community. And designing sassy merch on the side. ;)

We are lucky to have you, Dr. Houry!

Do you want to help give someone hope after losing their career? Please donate to our fund here: bit.ly/3WYXFrW

"I want people to know that there is help out there."

We've started to collect and share stories from some of our fund recipients. Here's one from Susan, who worked for CDC for more than 20 years before she was abruptly fired in February: www.cdcresourceportal.org/stories/from...

Thanks to generous donations from people like you, CDC Mutual Aid has raised more than $60,000.

And as of this week we've passed another big milestone: We've given more than $50K to help fired/RIFed CDC employees. 👏

Check out the latest numbers (updated weekly): www.cdcresourceportal.org/donate