American Heart Association logoAmerican Heart Association

South Carolina

To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives in South Carolina.

South Carolina

City of Columbia wins Heart Walk Rookie of the Year

Heart Walk Rookie of the Year

Can you name another city with custom parking meters to help bring awareness to heart health? We can't either. The City of Columbia put their creativity to work to score a major win for the Midlands Heart Walk.

Stepping Towards Heart Health in the CSRA

CSRA

Hal Powell, a downtown Augusta senior housing community, is thrilled to announce the upcoming installation of a brand-new crosswalk with the support of the American Heart Association in the CSRA. This project is the result of extensive cooperation between local organizations dedicated community volunteers, and the city.

Screen, Educate and Refer initiatives across the Upstate

Upstate Elementary School

High blood pressure (HBP) poses a persistent threat to American health, exacerbated by recent disruptions in care access and heightened awareness of health disparities. Initiatives like "Screen, Educate and Refer" step in by providing blood pressure monitors, educational materials, and collaboration with organizations, bridging the healthcare gap for individuals in need.

YOUR GIFT NOW MATCHED $-for-$!

Don’t miss this chance to make 2X the difference! When you share your heart with a gift now, it will be MATCHED to help save more lives.

Couple making hearts with their hands in the snow

Events in Your Area

CSRA Heart Ball

Location: Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center

Date: Friday, February 9, 2024 - 06:00 PM

Register

Lowcountry Heart Walk

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024 - 08:00 AM

Register

CSRA Heart Walk

Location: SRP Park

Date: Friday, March 22, 2024 - 06:00 PM

Register

Upstate Heart Walk

Date: Monday, April 22, 2024 - 01:00 PM

Register

Charleston Heart Ball

Location: Charleston Gaillard Center

Date: Friday, May 10, 2024 - 06:00 PM

Register

Upstate Heart Ball

Location: Greenville Convention Center

Date: Friday, May 12, 2023 - 06:00 PM

Learn More

Charleston Go Red for Women Luncheon

Location: Charleston Gaillard Center

Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024 - 10:30 AM

Learn More

In Your Community

The American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives is committed to driving equitable health impact in South Carolina through five key priority areas: women, readiness, tobacco and vaping, patients and healthy living.

With focus on these impact areas, we are working to improve the health and well-being of South Carolinians by collaborating with others who serve our communities.

In Charleston, we are helping to improve healthy food access to downtown residents. We collaborated with The Green Heart Project, which serves as a 1/2-acre Urban Farm in a USDA designated “low income, low access” food desert. Through funding, the American Heart Association has helped provide raised garden beds at Charleston County Public Schools, as well as a walk-in cooler at the Urban Farm. This has allowed The Green Heart Project to increase the amount of fresh produce that is readily available. This organization now serves as a healthy food access point to over 2500 children and families throughout the Charleston area. The Farm Stand at the Urban Farm serves over 100 households a week and produces over 8,000 pounds of produce each year.

In the Upstate, we are leading local impact efforts throughout the region with a strategic focus on several priority areas addressing community health. These priority areas include community-readiness-focused initiatives through CPR training and cardiac emergency response plans; enhancing nutrition security by increasing access and expanding local food pantries; embracing community care through staff and organizational training and support for blood pressure needs through Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure Programs; and addressing tobacco and vaping with local healthcare and educational systems. The multifaceted efforts display the Association’s commitment to creating healthier lives for all in the Upstate.

In CSRA, we are committed to addressing food insecurity in our communities. One in seven people in the CSRA are faced with chronic hunger every day and 54% of our community does not have access to healthy food options. The Laney Walker Farmer’s Market provides screenings, multiple farmers and vendors offering a variety of healthy, local food options. The market also doubles SNAP benefits, meaning when shoppers swipe their SNAP card at the market manager booth, they will receive $2 in market tokens for every $1 spent. Maintaining a healthy diet and controlling blood pressure are two ways to prevent heart disease. The Laney Walker Farmer’s Market represents a collaboration between the American Heart Association, Augusta Locally Grown and Augusta-Richmond County Housing and Community Development. This market is designed to increase social and economic access to our community’s healthiest foods for community members of all income levels, but specifically the market will help to provide proper nourishment to our historically under-resourced communities.

Throughout South Carolina, we’ve seen our community impact work grow, including efforts not only around healthy food access, but also greater access to care, blood pressure education, building a network of first responders through CPR kits in schools, and tobacco and e-cigarette education and prevention.

Through support of our South Carolina communities, the American Heart Association will continue to drive change, and be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

Community Impact

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.

Advocacy

Board Chair
Matt Merrifield
Aiken Regional CEO

Board President
Jose Cardenas, M.D.
Aiken Regional Medical Center

Leadership Development Chair
Jim Clifford
North Augusta City Administration

Members

Jennifer Baggett
ADP

Shankar Balan
Palmetto Industries International, Inc.

Brenda Brown
Realty One Inclusion

Jim Clifford
North Augusta City Administration

Dr. Malinda Cobb
Richmond County School District

Yabin Dong, M.D. - President Elect
Augusta University

Jennifer Hart
Aiken County School System

Dr. Lily Henson
Piedmont Augusta

Penny Jackson
Columbia County

Debbie Layman
Layman Farms

Dr. Christopher Ledford
Augusta University

Shauntia Lewis
City of Augusta

Stuart MacVean
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC

Jay Murray
Truist

Pamela Moore
Retired DOD & Military 

Matthew Merrifield - Chair Elect
Aiken Regional Medical Center

Dr. Stan Whitlock
Georgia Independent School Association


Board Chair
John Golding
TD Bank

Board President
Lynn Haney Singleton
ECPI

Leadership Development Chair
Reid Banks
Banks Construction

Members 

Daniel Lackland, M.D.
MUSC Health

Gayenell Magwood, M.D.
University of South Carolina

Rev. Eric S.C. Manning
AME Church

Chris McLain, M.D.
Roper St. Francis

Larry Tarleton
Retiree

Stuart Smith
Retiree


Board Chair
Christopher James Huffman, M.D.

MUSC Midlands Division

Board President
Susan Burroughs, MHA, FACHE

MUSC Midlands Division

Leadership Development Chair
Kathy Wine, CPA

Schmoyer and Company, LLC.

Members

Tim Arnold
Colonial Life

Roslyn Artis, JD, EdD
Benedict College

Dr. Joshua Coney
MUSC

Barron Davis, Ph.D.
Richland 2 School District

Vince Ford
Prisma Health

John Giard
TD Bank

Jay Hamm, RN, FACHE
Lexington Medical Center

Jan Jernigan
Morgan Stanley

Norma Khoury, M.D.
MUSC Midlands Division

Jennifer McCormack
USC

Stephanie Simmonds, RN, MS
Nephron Pharmaceuticals

Rev. Steven Shugart
MUSC Midlands Division

Leesa Stout
Dominion Energy


Board Chair
Joshua Trout

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Greenville

Board President
Chandra Mansell

Greenville Free Medical Clinic

Chair Elect
Julie Smart

Anderson University

President Elect
Brent Egan

American Medical Association

Leadership Development Chair
Matt Puckett

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Members

Pastor Sean Dogan
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System

Bill Jackson
Dick Brooks Honda of Greer

Anne Marie Maertens
Pendleton Place

Brenda McCurry
Scansource, Inc

Scott Moore
98 Ventures

Richard Muncaster
Muncaster Financial Group, Inc.

Bill Pelham
Pelham Architects, LLC

Jim Ryan
Regional Management Corp.

Julie Smart
Anderson University


Contact Us

CSRA

Mail-Only
887 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 110
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

(843) 480-4906

Florence

Mail-Only
887 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 110
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

(843) 496-0432

Lowcountry

887 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 110
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

(843) 480-4900

Midlands

Mail-Only
887 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 110
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

(803) 738-9540

Southern Coast

Mail-Only
PO Box 1410 
Bluffton, SC 29910

(843) 480-4906

Sumter

Mail-Only
887 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 110
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

(803) 410-1067

Upstate

Mail-Only
887 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 110
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

(864) 627-4158

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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.