Dear Friends and Supporters,
It has been an honor serving these past eight months as Executive Director in Connecticut alongside our incredible Board of Directors, dedicated volunteers and amazing staff. Thanks to their wonderful support and leadership, we have continued to expand our important lifesaving work throughout Connecticut. From our homes and schools, community centers and hospitals, workspaces and outdoor parks, we have made a difference in the lives of thousands of people in our State throughout the past year.
While we may not have been able to gather in person for much of this past year due to COVID, we have increased our commitment to eliminating the barriers that prevent individuals and families from living a long and healthy life. Our committed volunteers are at the heart of our mission of “building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.” Our mission drives everything we do.
This past year we launched a barbershop blood pressure program in the New Haven community, helped to pass $12M in funding at the State Capitol for tobacco control, and reached more school children than ever before with our Kids’ Heart Challenge. With AHA funded grants, researchers at Yale University and the University of Connecticut are investigating new and innovative ways to block or delay the progression of heart attacks or strokes and . understand blood cell development which lead to cardiovascular diseases.
It is because of you, our volunteers and supporters, that we are able to advance our mission throughout the State and reach more people than ever before.
I would like to particularly thank our wonderful Board of Directors for their passionate and valuable leadership throughout theses challenging times. A special thank you Sarah Yeager, our former Board Chair and Dr. Joseph Schindler, former board member, for their longtime dedication and commitment to ensuring AHA’s mission advancement. A warm welcome to our new volunteer leaders, and welcome to our new board leadership: Russ Mills as our board chair, Maureen Boyle-Henninger, leadership development chair, and new board member, Dr. Hardik Amin.
I invite you to take a look at the impact we’ve made over the last year:
2021-22 Connecticut Impact Report
Thank you for your wonderful dedication to our mission and I look forward to a wonderful year ahead.
Sincerely,
Adria Giordano Executive Director Connecticut