The Wellness Coalition was named one of seven innovative, community-based nonprofit organizations to receive a grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation to address cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in the nation. The $150,000, year two grant will provide continued support for the HeartLink – Improving Cardiovascular Health in the Alabama River Region program, launched in 2020.
The grant is part of the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular Health (CCH)SM Next Generation program, now in its second year, which aims to improve heart health in the US, particularly among historically disregarded and underserved populations, through tailored approaches that best meet the needs of local communities.
“Our goal is to empower individuals to make lifestyle changes that lower their risk for cardiovascular disease and lead to better health,” said Martine Rockler, Wellness Program & Diabetes Prevention Program Coordinator. “The Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM Next Generation grant will help us break down health disparities and improve heart health for adults in our region.”
“We’re thrilled to continue our support for CCH Next Generation grant awardees’ life-changing, community-level initiatives that are working to improve health equity across the US,” said Christie Bloomquist, President of the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation Board and Vice President, US Corporate Affairs at AstraZeneca. “We’re proud to partner with The Wellness Coalition again this year and look forward to the impact its programming will have on the heart health of underserved people in the River Region.”
The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation grant will support The Wellness Coalition to improve the cardiovascular health and health behaviors of uninsured and underinsured adults in Alabama’s River Region. The HeartLink program also works to improve participant knowledge of self-management techniques through access to primary care, health insurance, free/low-cost medications and community resources, and self-management of cardiovascular disease, delivered by trained wellness navigators providing wellness case management and chronic disease self-management education.
About AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation
The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation works to address health disparities in the US through strategic grant-giving and capacity building support for nonprofit organizations. The Foundation also provides financial support for AstraZeneca employees affected by federally declared disasters in the US. Established in 1993 as a nonprofit charitable organization, the Foundation is a separate legal entity from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals with distinct legal restrictions. Its current signature program, Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM Next Generation, aims to improve heart health in the US, particularly among historically disregarded and underserved populations, through tailored approaches that best meet the needs of local communities. For more information and the latest updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and visit www.astrazeneca-us.com/sustainability/healthcare-foundation.html.