Skip to main content
  • Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms
  • Volunteer
  • Learn CPR
  • ShopHeart
American Heart Association heart and torch logo
American Heart Association
  • Donate Once
  • Donate Monthly
  • donateDonate
  • Close Menu

    Trending Search

    • find my cpr card
    • bls
    • ecard
    • acls
    • bls renewal
  • Healthy Living
  • Health Topics
  • Professionals
  • Get Involved
  • Ways to Give
  • About Us
  • Learn CPR
  • In Your Community
  • Heart Attack and Stroke Symptoms
  • Learn CPR
  • Volunteer
  • ShopHeart
  1. Home
  2. Around the AHA
  3. $65,000 awarded to women-led health initiatives

$65,000 awarded to women-led health initiatives

First-place grant recipient Sharon Samjitsingh describes her project, Health Care Originals Inc., during the EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator Finale on Oct. 21.
First-place grant recipient Sharon Samjitsingh describes her project, Health Care Originals Inc., during the EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator Finale on Oct. 21.

Three social entrepreneurs and their ventures — meeting needs as elemental as better breathing, rescue training and personal health and well-being — were celebrated Oct. 21 in the American Heart Association's virtual EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator Finale.

A panel of expert judges chose Sharon Samjitsingh, co-founder of Health Care Originals Inc. in Rochester, New York, to receive the first-place, $50,000 grant. Deploying a proprietary wearable device, Health Care Originals pursues better collection and analysis of real-world lung data from a diverse group of patients. The technology is impacting clinical trials in areas such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung disease, as well as allowing patients to receive on-demand feedback on their conditions.

The second-place grant of $10,000 was awarded to Cornelia Williams, co-founder of EMTomorrow in Essex, Massachusetts. EMTomorrow, a nonprofit, provides free EMT training to underserved young adults, helping them overcome financial, social, geographic and hiring barriers on the path to a career in emergency medical services. Williams is an emergency medical technician, senior at Georgetown University and director of organizational equity for Georgetown EMS.

In online voting before and during the finale, Kimberly Brown, founder of Get Up Get Movin' in Minneapolis, was chosen as Fan Favorite. Informed by her own health struggles, Brown created Get Up Get Movin' to provide information, motivation and a 30-day nutrition and physical activity challenge aimed at communities of color and church congregations. Brown, a singer/songwriter, was awarded a $5,000 grant for her project.

The EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator finale, viewable on demand, includes a special segment from the Finale Fireside Chat. The chat featured business investor and TV personality Daymond John, who shared his entrepreneurship journey and top tips for social entrepreneurs.

Other finalists (and their ventures/locations) were:

  • Shireen Abdullah (Yumlish/Dallas)
  • Bahby Banks (Pillar Consulting/Durham, North Carolina)
  • Victoria Beaty (Growing Places/Indianapolis)
  • Maya Page (Carry/Portland, Oregon)
  • Cynthia Wallace (Bible Center Church/Pittsburgh)

The EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator works with diverse social entrepreneurs and organizations to improve community health risk factors, especially for underserved populations. Such factors include racial bias, income, education, stress, pollution, housing availability, transportation and access to healthy foods.

Since 2017, the Business Accelerator has funded over $500,000 in grants for health and social justice leaders.


Last Reviewed: Oct 22, 2021

X formerly known as Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Print

Around the AHA

Around the AHA
  • A Century of Heart
  • What Actually Happened
  • Awardee thrives at intersection of innovation and care
  • Ensuring optimal cardiovascular care is central to honoree's calling
  • Awardee is birthing a movement for equitable maternal health
  • Susan Lucci to be honored for off-screen role: fighting heart disease
  • Honoree shows communities exceptional dedication through patient care, research
  • Honoree is a longtime AHA volunteer with a heart for service
  • What does the sugar in beverages do to your body?
  • Supporting heart health, one dish at a time
  • Singer Amy Grant reflects on rare heart condition that could have killed her
  • The Bugher Foundation has provided valuable funds, ideas to support AHA research, researchers

*All health/medical information on this website has been reviewed and approved by the American Heart Association, based on scientific research and American Heart Association guidelines. Find more information on our content editorial process.

American Heart Association

National Center
7272 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75231

Customer Service
1-800-AHA-USA-1
1-800-242-8721

Contact Us

Hours
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT 
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT
Closed on Sundays

Tax Identification Number
13-5613797

About Us

  • About the AHA/ASA
  • Our Impact
  • Annual Report
  • AHA Financial Information
  • International Programs
  • Latest Heart and Stroke News
  • AHA/ASA Media Newsroom
  • Careers

Get Involved

  • Donate Now
  • Make a Memorial Gift
  • Ways to Give
  • Advocate
  • Volunteer
  • Go Red For Women
  • ShopHeart
  • ShopCPR

Our Sites

  • American Heart Association
  • American Stroke Association
  • CPR & ECC
  • Professional Heart Daily
  • More Sites
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X formerly known as Twitter
  • Tik Tok
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • National Health Council Standards of Excellence Certification Program page for Standards of Excellence
  • Better Business Bureau page for American Heart Association
  • Charity Navigator Home
  • Secured by Sectigo page for SSL certificates
  • AHA Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Copyright Policy
  • Ethics Policy
  • Conflict of Interest Policy
  • Linking Policy
  • Whistleblower Policy
  • Content Editorial Guidelines
  • Suppliers & Providers
  • State Fundraising Notices


©2025 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
The American Heart Association is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
*Red Dress ™ DHHS, Go Red ™ AHA ; National Wear Red Day® is a registered trademark.

×
American Heart Association logo

This link is provided for convenience only and is not an endorsement of either the linked-to entity or any product or service.

Proceed