The American Heart Association in New York City is proud to announce that The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH) and The Institute for Family Health are the recipients of the 2019-2020 Community Impact Grants. This year, the Community Impact Grants will provide funding for programs with strong, outcomes-focused initiatives that expand the healthy food access for children living in under-served communities throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
For the last ten years, the grant focus has been on improving cardiovascular health of young people, increasing physical activity, and increasing healthy food access. Since the NYC Community Impact Grant was introduced in 2009, the Association has dispersed more than $1 million to 42 worthy recipients.
“For the last decade the recipients of the NYC Community Impact Grants have amplified the goals of the American Heart Association by promoting a culture of health for all residents of our city. By supporting organizations like The Campaign Against Hunger and the Institute for Family Health’s Bronx Health REACH, we are directly investing in the health, well-being and prosperity of future generations,” said Dr. Lawrence Phillips, President of the American Heart Association New York City Board of Directors. “We are proud of the impact these funds have provided in our city’s neighborhoods and we look forward to the resulting momentum toward our mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.”
The Campaign Against Hunger
The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH) is one of the most robust and effective nutrition education and emergency feeding providers in New York City. TCAH operates at the intersection of hunger and health and actively works to combat chronic diet-related illnesses through nutrition education, empowering neighbors to lead healthier, more productive and self-sufficient lives by increasing their access to nutritious food and related resources.
“The Campaign Against Hunger is elated to partner with the American Heart Association as we work together to educate and empower New Yorkers to live healthy lifestyles and invest in their health, which is one of the pathways to independence. We are grateful for this partnership and believe that our collaborative efforts will further tackle the ‘hunger and health paradox’ resulting in a paradigm shift in food insecure communities where dietary choices are inversely related to health disparities due to limited access to healthful food options,” said Dr. Melony Samuels, Executive Director of TCAH. “This funding will allow us to further our mission of ending hunger, whilst creating a healthier community of neighbors.”
The Institute for Family Health
The Institute for Family Health’s Bronx Health REACH was formed in 1999 to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes in diabetes and heart disease in African American and Latino communities in the southwest Bronx. It has grown includes over 70 community-based organizations, health care providers, faith-based institutions, housing, and social service agencies. The American Heart Association is proud to support its work to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes once and for all.
“The Institute for Family Health/Bronx Health REACH is delighted that the American Heart Association has awarded a Community Impact Grant to Project Grab & Go!” said Charmaine Ruddock, Bronx Health REACH project director. “The project will develop and promote new healthy food items at 3-5 Bronx bodegas in partnership with our Bronx Bodega Workgroup, Bascom Catering, City Harvest, and Bronx Health Advocate Shen’naque Sean Butler. We can’t wait to offer these new, tasty ‘grab and go’ meals to our Bronx neighbors and show the community that healthy foods can be delicious and good for business.”
More About Our Community Impact Grants
For the 2019-20 fiscal year, 21 organizations applied for the CIGs. Selection of these recipients was based on the programs demonstrated ability to improve healthy food access for children living in communities that reflect the greatest needs for improved health outcomes. Since 2009, the American Heart Association has recognized the need to fund and support community-based activities in NYC that address our mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Many local community groups and organizations are working, or would like to work, on projects that would result in improvement in the overall cardiovascular health of our communities. This funding helps ensure that these projects can be developed and sustained in areas where we lack local staff presence to directly support and participate in these important initiatives.