North Carolina
A relentless force for longer, healthier lives in North Carolina.

North Carolina Medicaid expansion bill signed into law

March 27, 2023, marked an historic day for North Carolina as the Legislature ended a nearly decade-long push for Medicaid expansion. It is also an example of a remarkable bipartisan effort in the Tar Heel state that will ensure hundreds of thousands of residents will now be able to have affordable and adequate healthcare.
As Governor Cooper signed the legislation, organizations across the state celebrated this monumental policy as a game-changer for the health of North Carolinians. The American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, is committed to ensuring health care is adequate, accessible, and affordable for everyone living in the United States.
“North Carolina has made the historic decision to expand Medicaid coverage and ensure more families impacted by heart disease, stroke and other serious health conditions have access to health care,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive of the American Heart Association. “Forty states and the District of Columbia have now prioritized the health of their residents by expanding Medicaid, and we continue to urge the remaining states to follow suit so more people can access needed care to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.”
Community-based nutrition initiatives drive better heart health

Healthy for Life is an evidence-based community nutrition program that empowers people to make healthy food, nutrition, and lifestyle. Class facilitators lead classes in nutrition and lifestyle changes that support heart health throughout our local communities. Nationally sponsored by Aramark, the Healthy for Life program is one of several nutrition security initiatives locally supported by JELD-WEN.
F.A.S.T. display travels throughout the Triad

The Heart of the Triad initiative is focusing on stroke and prevention, and in an effort to increase awareness of the warning signs of stroke, a traveling display of large F.A.S.T. letters are on exhibit throughout Triad businesses and organizations this year.
Lifesaving equipment and training to local church in the Triangle

The American Heart Association (AHA) in the Triangle area continues to provide Hands-only CPR and AED training to community organizations. The congregation at Wakefield Missionary Baptist Church, led by Reverend Israel Stacker, recently learned the lifesaving skill and added an AED to the campus as a result of an AHA mini-grant the church received. With the funds, the church purchased CPR kits and an outdoor AED. The next step in their work is to implement a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan.
Providing Healthy Food Access to Wingate Community
Wingate University, the town of Wingate and N.C. Cooperative Extension with seed funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and support from the American Heart Association (AHA) made it possible for a new pop-up market that accepts SNAP and the University dining plan to provide healthy food access for students and residents and support local farmers in Union County. The opening day celebrations included fresh salads created from AHA recipes.
Salad recipe made with fresh produce and homemade dressing
Farmer’s Market offers produce with a side of educationAmerican Heart Association's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Scholars from NC attend Scientific Sessions in Chicago
Six students from North Carolina A&T University, Winston-Salem State University and North Carolina Central University have been selected to participate in the American Heart Association's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholars Program. As part of the program, they were able to attend Scientific Session in Chicago with professionals, scientists and physicians from around the world.
For more information on the program visitFeatured Recipe – Pork Chops with Balsamic Peach Glaze
Do you love pork chops? This Simple Cooking with Heart American/Southern recipe is a fantastic meal that gives a hefty boost to your veggie and fruit intake for the day.
Try Pork Chops with Balsamic Peach GlazeGive and get benefits!
Make a lifesaving gift today and get exclusive access to the Spring Into Flavor Guide to Healthy Eating as a thank you for helping fight heart disease and stroke.

Events in Your Area
Charlotte Go Red for Women Luncheon
Location: Hilton Charlotte Uptown
Date: Friday, May 12, 2023 - 10:30 AM
Learn MoreTriangle Go Red for Women Evening in Red
Location: Raleigh Convention Center
Date: Friday, June 9, 2023 - 04:00 PM
Register2023 Greater Charlotte CycleNation
Location: SPENGA Charlotte South End
Date: Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - 02:47 PM
RegisterGreater Charlotte Heart Walk
Location: First Ward Park
Date: Saturday, September 30, 2023 - 07:30 AM
RegisterIn Your Community
The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in North Carolina through five key priority areas: women, readiness, tobacco and vaping, patients, and healthy living. Equity is always at the center of our work, and it will continue to guide all that we do.
Through our focus on these key impact areas, and with collaboration among local organizations, sponsors, businesses, and others that serve the community, we are working to improve the health and well-being of North Carolina citizens while saving and improving countless lives.
Throughout the state of North Carolina, we’ve seen our community impact work grow, including efforts around creating avenues for greater access to care, expanding healthy food access and education, building a network of first responders through CPR kits in schools, supporting blood pressure screenings and education, and educating on the dangers of tobacco and vaping.
People are counting on us as never before. We at the American Heart Association, along with our supporters, will drive change, and we will be relentless.
Advocacy has had a mission-critical role in the Association's work for more than 40 years. Our legislative and regulatory priorities help to mitigate risk factors and protect survivors in communities across the country. We support the enactment of evidence-based public policies that lead to longer, healthier lives.
Public policy advocacy is an essential strategy used by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to affect necessary and sustainable policy, system and environmental changes that help Americans build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies is a multi-agency collaborative in Guilford County focused on maternal health and cardiovascular health for reducing infant mortality, and early childhood development prenatally to age three for increasing school readiness and life success. Infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. Eighty percent of brain growth occurs in children in the first three years of life.
The American Heart Association, Every Baby Guilford, March of Dimes, and The Guilford Basics with Ready for School Ready for Life are proud co-recipients of a grant from The Cemala Foundation focused on cardiovascular health and maternal health to reduce infant mortality in Guilford County. Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies is being implemented in up to 13 barbershops and beauty salons with health messages for new and expecting moms and dads to be delivered through trusted voices of barbers and stylists. Mothers will also be able to access health and parenting resources, including blood pressure monitors, scales, book nooks, and more.
Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies aims to address the drivers of infant mortality while empowering mothers of Color in trusted community spaces. Programs such as Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies supports mothers and fathers, and contributes to raising healthy, smart babies.
Participating Trusted Spaces, Healthy Babies barbershops & beauty salons:
- Hot Seat Studio Salon (Lead Barber)
- United Barbershop (Lead Barber)
- Glenwood Barr-ber Shop (Lead Barber)
- Shear Eminence Hair Salon
- Personal Treasures Salon and Beauty Supply
- Simple Designs Hair Studio
- Urban Renaissance By Prestige
- Legacy Stylez Barbershop
- Simply Blessed Barber and Beauty
- Cali Styles Barber and Nail Studio
- Glam Looks Beauty Bar
- Tight Cut Barber & Salon


Classes in the Triad
The American Heart Association is focusing on nutrition security and nutrition education throughout the Triad. Thanks to Healthy Blue, the Simple Cooking with Heart curriculum is teaching families in our community how to cook and eat healthy on a shoestring budget. Courtesy of The Earl & Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation, the American Heart Association's Simple Cooking with Heart program is working with community-based programs in High Point to provide healthy cooking classes and connect families with food and cooking supplies. Triad community-based programs may request to host a Simple Cooking with Heart series of healthy cooking classes. To learn how you can cook healthy for your family, register to attend a series of free healthy cooking classes.
Please complete this interest form to register for a complimentary Simple Cooking with Heart series of classes or to request to host a series of healthy cooking classes.
For more ideas for healthy recipes you can try at home, visit www.heart.org/recipes.




Are you doing your part to keep the Queen City healthy? Healthy Charlotte, a popular coalition of leaders and organizations dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our city, is back in action and we need your help! Learn about the “refresh” of this important initiative and how you can get involved in improving your health and the health of your friends, family and workforce.
Chair
Neal Blinde
Capital One
President
Sidney Fletcher, M.D.
Novant Health
Leadership Development Chair
Nancy Mcnelis
Summit Leadership Partners
Chairman-Elect
Gary Michel
Community Volunteer
President–Elect
Sherry Saxonhouse, M.D.
Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute,
Atrium Health
Board Members
Le Roy Davis
Mike Desmond
Grant Thornton
Jamie Ergle
Cushman & Wakefield
Stacy Gray
CTE
Sanjeev Gulati, M.D.
Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute,
Atrium Health
Shaina Hall
Belk
Karla Jones, M.A., Ed.D.
Queens University of Charlotte
Chuck Munn
Harris Teeter
Jerry A. Saunders, M.D., Ph.D
Amity Medical Group
Niki Curci Scott
Community Volunteer
Raynard Washington, Ph.D.
Mecklenburg County
2022 – 2023 Campaign Chairs
Greater Charlotte Heart Challenge
Dan Soto
Ally Financial
Brian Weisker
Natural Gas Business Unit Duke Energy
Heart Of Charlotte / Heart Ball
Kim & Leon Topalian
Nucor
Greater Charlotte Go Red For Women
Sheila Jordan
Honeywell
Janice Dupre
Lowe’s Corporation, Inc.
Chair
Vern Hawkins
Syngenta North America Crop Protection
President
Cynthia Brown, M.D.
Winston-Salem State University
Development Chair
Jackie Haynes
Retired
Board Members
Sheryl Booth, RT, (R) MHA
Cone Health System
Mariane Carna
Novant Health
Debra Diz, M.D.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist,
Hypertension & Vascular Research
Blairton Hampton
Retired, Century Products
Sandy & Lafayette Jones
SMSI Urban Call Marketing,
SMSI Healthy Living Solutions, Inc.
Corinna Miller
UnitedHealthcare
Wendell Phillip
Fayetteville State University
Denise Price
Forsyth County Government
Iulia Vann, M.D., MPH
Guilford County
2022 – 2023 Campaign Chairs
Heart of the Triad / Triad Heart Ball:
Anita Prendergast
Novant Health Rehabilitation Hospital,
An Affiliate Of Encompass Health
Triad Go Red For Women
Leah Hazelwood
Go-Forth Pest Control
Chair
Terri L. Phillips, M.D.
Merz Aesthetics
President
Manesh Patel, M.D.
Duke Heart
Leadership Development Chair
Kristen Soler
Advance Auto Parts
Board Members
Peter Benton
Worldwide Clinical Trials
Verna Best
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Jason Christie
Triangle Business Journal
Buzz Crosby
Martin Marietta
Stephen Finch
UNC Health Care
Tiffany Gholston
Gholston Consulting Group LLC
Christopher Granger, M.D.
Duke University Medical Center
Corrine Greco
Community Volunteer
Christopher Kelly, M.D.
North Carolina Heart & Vascular
Deana Labriola
Fox Rothschild, LLP
C. Lynn Mason
Broadstep Behavioral Health
Catty Moore
Wake County Public Schools
Bob Myer
Skanska USA Building
Jeff Pfeifer
Lexisnexis
Ruth Gilliam-Phillips
UnitedHealthcare
Anuradha Rao-Patel, M.D.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Of North Carolina
Trevor Upham, M.D.
WakeMed Heart & Vascular
2022-2023 Campaign Chairs
2022 Triangle Heart Challenge Chair
Richard P. Shannon, M.D.
Duke Health
2022 Triangle Hard Hats With Heart Chair
Scott Cooper
Brasfield & Gorrie, Llc
2023 Triangle Heart Ball Chairs
Andrea Agee
Philip Agee
President & Coo Attain Partners
2023 Triangle Hard Hats With Heart Chair
Joy Jones
Adams Electric
2023 Triangle Go Red For Women Chairs
Lisa Hammond
Allscripts
2023 Triangle Heart Challenge Chair
Christine Vannais
Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies
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Heart and Stroke News
Find science-based stories about heart and brain health and inspiring survivor profiles from American Heart Association News.
