The Merck Foundation announced Nov. 3 the launch of the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care, a $22 million, five-year initiative aimed at enhancing access to health care for those living with heart conditions in the U.S.
Eleven organizations across the country, including two in New Jersey, are receiving grants to support the development and implementation of evidence-informed, comprehensive programs to improve health outcomes in communities where access to care for cardiovascular disease is a challenge.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for one in every three deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, 919,032 people died from cardiovascular disease.
“Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one cause of death for men and women living in the U.S., and its burden hits under-resourced communities the hardest,” said Kalahn Taylor-Clark, vice president and head, social impact and sustainability, Merck.
“By addressing the medical and social needs of people living with heart conditions, the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care will have a significant, lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities across the country.”
The foundation is providing grants to select non-profit health care and public health organizations working with local community-based groups.
These groups are:
- Capital Health System (Trenton, N.J.)
- The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (Madison, Wisc.)
- Gallup Community Health (Gallup, N.M.)
- Georgia State University Research Foundation/Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (Atlanta)
- La Clínica del Pueblo (Washington, D.C.)
- MedNorth Health Center (New Hanover, N.C.)
- Providence Medical Foundation (Sonoma County, California)
- Public Health Institute/Population Health Innovation Lab (Lake County, California)
- University of Chicago (Chicago)
- UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care (McKeesport, Pa.)
- Zufall Health Center (Morris County, New Jersey)
The foundation is also supporting the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity as the collaborative’s National Program Office (NPO), which will provide technical assistance to grantees as they build local partnerships and implement their programs. The NPO will also foster peer-to-peer learning among grantees, conduct a cross-site evaluation and disseminate the Collaborative’s results and lessons learned.
The Merck Foundation is a U.S.-based, private charitable foundation that was established in 1957 by the global biopharmaceutical company Merck.
