social impact fund

Geralde Gabeau has worked for over two decades advocating for and developing public health initiatives for immigrants, especially for women and children. But while working on her doctorate degree in strategic leadership several years ago, Gabeau learned something that moved her in a new direction and, in turn, is impacting the lives of thousands of

After more than a decade of driving a Boston city bus, Lorene Thomas was exhausted, overweight and depressed. “Sitting in that seat all the time, I gained weight and had high blood pressure,” Thomas said. The 64-year-old also felt traumatized after several scary incidents, including being threatened by a man with a knife. A visit

A Boston-based organization – financially supported by the American Heart Association – that helps dads overcome obstacles like jail sentences, addiction issues and financial strains was featured on WCVB Channel 5 this week. Started by Charles Daniels in 2011, Fathers’ Uplift is Boston’s first outpatient mental health center for fathers and families. The Dorchester-based organization,

WCVB Channel 5 aired a story on Tuesday night about the American Heart Association Social Impact Fund’s investments in Boston. In Boston, vulnerable communities like Roxbury, Mattapan and Dorchester, are at greater risk for financial hardship, hunger and poor health. In areas of Roxbury, residents live to just 59, on average. Just a few miles

The cycle of homelessness can have devastating long-term repercussions on health. A nonprofit program in Boston is tackling the problem by trying to avoid evictions. HomeStart focuses on ending homelessness, in part by preventing it from happening in the first place. Living in an unstable housing environment can have a devastating impact on health. Life expectancy

The American Heart Association is making six new investments in Boston organizations committed to breaking down social and economic barriers that prevent people from living healthy lives. Currently operating in Chicago, Boston and Flint, Michigan, the Association’s Social Impact Fund empowers communities with localized resources to change their own trajectory of health and well-being. Investments

Oswaldo Ortiz’s daughter was just a toddler when he had to leave her behind in 2017 to serve a year-long prison sentence for possession of marijuana. “I used to always tell her, ‘Daddy loves you. Daddy will never, ever abandon you,’” Ortiz, 57,  recently told Good Morning America. “I put those words in her head