Empowering communities: Know Diabetes by Heart initiative awards grants to combat cardiovascular disease

The American Diabetes Association^® and the American Heart Association^® have awarded grants to 10 community organizations to help people living with Type 2 diabetes lower their risk for cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

The community grants are part of the leading health non-profits' joint Know Diabetes by Heart^™ initiative which seeks to reduce cardiovascular events and deaths among people living with Type 2 diabetes. The grants will help organizations in California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Puerto Rico deliver diabetes and cardiovascular disease education materials and resources in English and in Spanish. Outreach efforts will focus on engaging Black and Latino populations that experience higher rates of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke compared to non-Hispanic white populations.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and a major cause of disability for all people living with Type 2 diabetes, yet only about half age 45 or older understand their increased risk for developing heart disease or have discussed it with their doctor.

"People with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease. It's important, especially for people living with diabetes, to stay on top of heart health. Creating a network of support for exercise, diet and diabetes management can help people be heart healthy and avoid complications," said Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, FACP, chief scientific and medical officer at the American Diabetes Association.

"Heart disease should be on the minds of people living with Type 2 diabetes. The good news is that the lifestyle changes you make to keep your heart healthy can also help you manage diabetes and prevent heart disease," said Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, FAHA, the American Heart Association's chief medical officer for prevention. "Through these education and outreach efforts, we can help people live longer, healthier lives."

KDBH community grants totaling $167,000 were awarded to:

CenterWell Home Health

Atlanta, Georgia

Clemson University

Clemson, South Carolina

Diabetes Coalition of Palm Beach County

Riviera Beach, Florida

Family Health Centers of San Diego

San Diego, California

Lifeline Health Essentials, LLC

Harvey, Louisiana

Lucky Shoals Community Association

Tucker, Georgia

MedStar Harbor Hospital

Baltimore, Maryland

PEACE, Inc.

Syracuse, New York

Puerto Rico Diabetes Association

San Juan, Puerto Rico

United Health Centers

Winston-Salem, North Carolina