Impact
Continuing to prioritize our focus on prevention of disease to those who need our help the most, the American Heart Association escalated our work addressing nutrition insecurity, blood pressure management and knowledge of Hands-Only CPR with community partners benefiting almost 88,600 New Yorkers from under-invested neighborhoods.
FY25 Community Impact Report
American Heart Association engages 500+ at Staten Island’s HealthFest with lifesaving tools and youth programs
On September 26, the American Heart Association participated in Staten Island’s HealthFest 2025. The event was supported by SiCLIP (Staten Island Community-to-Clinic Linkage Implementation Program), which brings blood pressure screenings and health education to community spaces across Staten Island.
Members of the Association’s Community Impact and Youth Engagement teams shared information with attendees on our Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge initiatives as well as resources on updated blood pressure guidelines and how to perform Hands-Only CPR.
In addition to the Association’s generous contributions, the event featured a Meet & Greet with NFL Alumni legends, healthy food tastings, exciting raffles and giveaways, as well as complimentary health services such as mental wellness check-ins, diabetes screenings, and vision, dental, and pain screenings.
New York City advocates rally at City Hall to push for menthol tobacco
On September 25, advocates from the American Heart Association and Korean Community Services braved the rain and continued to urge City Council members to pass INT-1152, legislation which would restrict the sale of menthol-flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes in New York City.
The tobacco industry intentionally targets our city’s most vulnerable communities, and the product’s disproportionate effect on our community members is disturbingly apparent. 88% of Black people who smoke, 50% of Hispanic Americans who smoke, and 45% of Asian Americans who smoke use menthol cigarettes, compared to just 31% of White smokers.
Advocates are calling upon Speaker Adrienne Adams to hold a hearing on the legislation by December.
American Heart Association in New York City hosts annual advocacy kickoff
On September 16, advocates joined the virtual American Heart Association Advocacy Kickoff to hear about last year’s successes and the opportunities to be involved in 2025-26.
The event covered the budget focuses of the upcoming fiscal year, including fully implementing CPR in Schools training across the city, funding to improve access to resources addressing high blood pressure, and funding for programs that increase families’ accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables.
The call also highlighted the Association’s ask to Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and New York City Council leadership to hold a hearing on Int.1152-2024 by the end of the calendar year. This legislation would restrict the sale of harmful and deadly menthol cigarettes.
Advocating for longer, healthier lives in Harlem
On August 16th and 17th in Harlem, the American Heart Association met with long time advocates, strategized with community partners, and recruited new advocates to our Heart Powered grassroots network to combat the use of menthol in New York City.
We met with advocates and community leaders to discuss our advocacy successes and our current local policy goals and celebrated with the community at the 51st Annual Harlem Week celebration.
In East Harlem, the adult smoking rate is more than double the rate of the rest of the borough, and it continues to be a leading cause of death for New Yorkers. The tobacco industry’s intentional targeting leads to these disproportionately higher use rates, so it is critical that we come together to combat menthol use in New York City.
Xavier Mission receives new refrigerator for food pantry
The American Heart Association has donated a new commercial refrigerator to Xavier Mission, a New York City nonprofit that has been addressing hunger and homelessness for more than 40 years.
Xavier Mission empowers its customers and works hard to ensure New Yorkers have autonomy and security when it comes to choosing food. In 2024, Xavier Mission distributed over 70,000 meals to 8,000 people. Beyond those incredible numbers, the organization goes the extra mile, and hosts a Welcome Table every Sunday, a day when most other soup kitchens in NYC are closed.
The collaboration between the American Heart Association and Xavier Mission is one that aims to enhance the well-being and provide access to vital resources for all members in our community.
NYC legislation fighting to protect New Yorkers from the revival of smoking
An article published in the New York Times indicated smoking is on the rise. While it may be wildly present in film, television, music videos, and among celebrities in real life, the downfall of smoking is much more relevant than its pop culture presence.
Research from the American Heart Association reports that smoking still plagues our community, and we’re even seeing a rise in tobacco usage among young people. Data from Circulation shows that 1 in 8 adult males and 1 in 10 adult females are current smokers. Unfortunately, smoking disproportionately affects communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community. These groups are already at a higher risk for chronic disease, and the aggressive marketing from tobacco companies only increases that risk.
INT-1152 is a bill proposed to the City Council which would restrict the sale of menthol flavored tobacco products, and ultimately protect our most vulnerable communities.
United for Child Care continues to fight for parents and families in New York
The American Heart Association stood alongside New Yorkers United for Child Care and other members of the community to advocate for early childcare for parents and families in New York City. The rally included speakers from United for Child Care, Day Care Council of New York, and New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif.
New York families are calling for the Mayor’s Executive Budget to further expand accessibility to early childcare. The group of advocates delivered over 1,400 signatures to City Hall. The American Heart Association’s very own Senior Community Impact Director, Syed Bhuiyan, also spoke at the rally, providing critical information about the benefits of early childcare on cardiovascular and metabolic health, as well as the overall long-term wellness for our youngest New Yorkers.
Every Day is a Miracle provides tens of thousands of New Yorkers with quality food access
With two primary locations and three mobile units, Every Day is a Miracle (EDM), a prominent food pantry in the Bronx, is continuing to grow. Support from American Heart Association donor, Rose Caiola, has allowed the pantry to expand their client base and increase their stock. The organization is aligned with Association guidelines, which ensure that not only are New Yorkers accessing food, but that they are accessing quality food. In addition to providing food access, EDM offers other resources for their clients, like ESL classes, computer and financial literacy courses, and nutrition workshops to ensure their clients excel in every pillar of wellness.
Members of our New York City team and Caiola had the opportunity to meet with EDM’s volunteers and staff, understand the gravity of their work, hear how the organization continues to grow, and learn why our work cannot stop here. The American Heart Association, in collaboration with Bettina Equities and Every Day is a Miracle, is committed to providing access to nutritious foods and critical resources to help all New Yorkers live longer, healthier lives.
Celebrating Self-Measured Blood Pressure Program in the Bronx
We’re at the corner of Third Avenue and 140th street in the Bronx, the most diverse borough in the city and the county that ranks 62 out of 62 — last in health outcomes across all New York State! To address this disparity, in 2021 the American Heart Association began supporting a program at Damian Family Care Centers, a federally qualified health center, serving a large Latino and Black population, to launch a self-measuring blood pressure program for their patients.
We were able to meet and interview some of the team behind the program, and a patient who has been empowered to take control of his health by managing the silent killer, high blood pressure. Michael Febre, 33, is a Bronx native who lost 100 pounds since he began participating in the SMBP program. He credits the program for helping him find a healthier, more balanced lifestyle that prioritizes blood pressure measurement, exercise and healthier food choices. Michael’s physical health gains have improved his mental health as well. He says that surviving in New York City, a city known for never sleeping, can be daunting. Regularly measuring his blood pressure helped Michael remain committed to his long-term health goals.
Community Health Action of Staten Island food pantry
Located in Port Richmond, the Community Health Action of Staten Island food pantry provides access to nutritious foods, fresh fruit, and vegetables for over 2,700 community members each month.
Revising and affirming their commitment to providing healthy options, CHASI adopted an organization-wide nutrition policy that serves to better fit the needs of those who rely on the pantry and those who seek to further its success. By increasing the awareness of food access and security, CHASI and the American Heart Association continue to work together to ensure opportunities of the healthier lifestyles for everyone in the community.
Red Hook Redemption Church’s Effort to Address Nutrition Insecurity
New York’s second largest public housing complex is located in Red Hook, a waterfront community located in Brooklyn. The Red Hook NYC Housing Authority inhabits more than half of its residents, members of a community that has been geographically isolated from the rest of the city.
By systematically being cut off from the rest of Brooklyn, access to healthy and affordable food, quality healthcare and equitable housing is limited. Although there are barriers that the community faces, there are individuals and organizations that work hard to provide its fellow neighbors with opportunities. For example, Red Hook Redemption church taking charge of finding ways to bring in food for the community during the pandemic; and their initiatives have not stopped there.
Commonpoint Queens Continues to Increase Healthy Food Access for NYC Residents
Working alongside the American Heart Association, Commonpoint Queens serves its community in finding alternative ways to increase food accessibility. After adopting the Association’s Healthy Pantry Policy and receiving funding for a refrigeration unit, the pantry implemented nutrition security screenings at three of their sites. Although their efforts have shown improvement in the community, there is still more to do.
Food Bank for New York City implements Self-Measured Blood Pressure Initiative
The Food Bank for New York City (FBNYC) is the city’s largest hunger relief organization; helping to provide over 1.2 billion meals to eligible New Yorkers. Recently, one of their greatest impacts has been through their Community Kitchen in Harlem. In order to continue addressing hypertension and overall health education, FBNYC and the American Heart Association revitalized their working collaboration to launch a Self-Measured Blood Pressure Initiative to provide health services to community members.