A recent Boston 25 News story spotlighted the American Heart Association’s Have Faith in Heart initiative, showcasing how faith communities across Boston are gaining the resources needed to respond to cardiac emergencies.
Watch the Boston 25 News story here.
The story highlighted a Have Faith in Heart training hosted at Faithful Church in Dorchester, where the American Heart Association brought together representatives from Faithful Church, Kingdom Builders Church and Holy Tabernacle Church. Through the program, the Association is providing churches with CPR training, AED education, blood pressure monitoring resources and guidance on developing emergency response plans.
The goal is simple: ensure more community members are ready to act when every second counts.
Boston 25 reporter Daniel Coates interviewed American Heart Association Community Impact Director Stephanie Voltaire and Government Relations Director Christopher Feeney, who discussed the importance of equipping community members with lifesaving skills. State Rep. Chris Worrell also shared his perspective on the need to address the disproportionate impact of heart disease and hypertension in Black and Brown communities.
The story also highlighted the personal impact behind the initiative. Faithful Church recently lost its head deacon, Michael Young, after he suffered a cardiac emergency. His loss underscores why CPR training and access to AEDs is so important, said Faithful Church Pastor Audi Lynch.
Led by the American Heart Association and funded locally by UnitedHealthcare, Have Faith in Heart is helping trusted community institutions become stronger partners in improving health and saving lives. By providing faith communities with the tools, training and confidence to respond in an emergency, the initiative is helping create healthier, safer communities.