SoutheasternPennsylvaniaYear End ReportJUNE 2021

Dear Friends and Supporters,

What a remarkable and challenging year it has been. We are so proud to have served the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission as Southeastern Pennsylvania Board Chair and President, working alongside staff and volunteers to navigate through an unprecedented pandemic, and we are proud to highlight the impact the AHA has made this year. The American Heart Association is stronger than ever, as we work alongside communities to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and advance health equity.

This year, among so many other achievements, we:

Susan Croushore, MS, MBAAHA SEPA Board ChairRetired Health System CEO

William A. Gray, MD, FACC, FSCAIAHA SEPA Board PresidentSystem Chief, Division of Cardiovascular DiseasesMain Line Health

Addressed immediate needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic while implementing sustainable strategies alongside community and clinical partners, to increase blood pressure control, improve nutrition security and strengthen the chain of survival.

Launched the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund in North Philadelphia, thanks to the incredible generosity of the Andréa W. and Kenneth C. Frazier Family Foundation, providing more than $840,000 to entrepreneurs and nonprofits that are sustainably addressing access to affordable housing, access to healthy affordable food, access to healthcare and economic empowerment for residents in the Nicetown, Sharswood, Stanton and Strawberry Mansion neighborhoods of North Philadelphia.

Worked alongside our campaign chairs, Stephanie Austin, Philanthropist for Go Red For Women, Michael Heller, Executive Chairman & CEO of Cozen O’Connor for Heart Ball and Richard Snyder, EVP, Facilitated Health Networks and Chief Medical Officer of Independence Blue Cross for the 2020 Heart Walk to re-imagine how we can lead, empower and engage supporters in our work including solving for the complex health challenges our community faces (i.e. hypertension, nutrition security, women’s heart health, etc). This work included a multitude of engagement opportunities through digital experiences and mission-based efforts to improve the health of our community and led to significantly increased fundraising efforts year over year fueling the core mission work of the AHA.

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It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this mission, and we wish the incoming president, Dr. Deon Vigilance and incoming chairman, Dixie James, much success as they take over as leaders of the local board in July. To the many volunteers and supporters across the region, on behalf of the American Heart Association, thank you for your continued support of all aspects of our lifesaving mission to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy summer.

Sincerely,

AHA/CHOP COLLABORATION TO IMPROVERESUSCITATION CARE FOR CHILDREN Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recently announced an enhanced collaboration to advance the next generation of pediatric emergency cardiovascular care and resuscitation practices supported by a $1 million donation from Joseph J. and Donna Nicoletti Ferrier, Lori Nicoletti Peruto, Esq., and Mark R. Nicoletti, Sr., in honor of their mother, the late Beatrice F. Nicoletti, who deeply believed in the best care for children. Funds will help accelerate CHOP’s current world-class emergency cardiovascular care systems into an integrated CHOP/AHA innovation incubator, learning laboratory and training academy.

“This partnership will build upon many years of productive collaboration between our hospital and the AHA to improve the quality of resuscitation practice and cardiac care dedicated exclusively to children,” said Madeline Bell, President and CEO of CHOP. “This generous commitment from the Ferrier, Nicoletti and Peruto families will not only help us advance survival and quality of life here in Philadelphia, but across the country and throughout the world.”

Each year, more than 16,000 children in the United States experience cardiac arrest, with wide variability in the care they receive and survival outcomes. The chances of survival after in-hospital pediatric cardiac arrest can range from 10-70%, and they differ greatly between hospitals. Most healthcare organizations have limited expertise, training, and capacity to properly assess their systems of care, and to prevent and treat pediatric cardiovascular emergencies and cardiac arrests.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generous funding from the Ferrier, Nicoletti and Peruto families and our continued partnership with the American Heart Association,” said Dr. Vinay Nadkarni, Founding Director of the Center for Pediatric Resuscitation at CHOP. “Their support will allow us to discover the next-generation interventions for pediatric cardiac arrest and share our knowledge widely to help children and families who need these services the most.”

The strategic CHOP/AHA partnership will accelerate the mission of CHOP’s emerging Center for Pediatric Resuscitation to discover, establish, implement, disseminate, sustain and assess evidence-based resuscitation guidelines and pioneer new interventions that improve survival and quality of life for children and their families in every hospital and community around the world.

“We are proud to partner with CHOP and AHA to help develop enhanced resuscitation practices and produce next-generation interventions,” said Lori Nicoletti Peruto, Esq. “The mortality rate from in-hospital pediatric cardiac arrest needs to improve and be consistent throughout all hospitals. We believe CHOP’s Center for Pediatric Resuscitation, in conjunction with AHA, will create meaningful changes to the current practices in Philadelphia and throughout the world.”

WHAT WE’RE DOING

BERNARD J. TYSON IMPACT FUND UPDATE

SCHOOL-BASED FOOD HUB OPENS IN CHESTER

Thanks to a generous contribution from CSMI, Chester Community Charter School and the American

Heart Association launched a sustainable food access point in the city of Chester. The school-based food

hub, launched in May, will be open to students, families, and the Chester community bi-weekly on Friday

afternoons. The collaboration with the AHA provided the food hub with the infrastructure needed to

provide healthy options such as fresh produce and healthy frozen meals and linked the hub to multiple

food partners to source the food. The AHA is also providing evidence-based nutrition and cooking

education to participants and working with the school’s social work team to implement food insecurity

screening and linkages to food resources for students and their families.

Later this summer, the AHA will be announcing the

organizations receiving funding through the Bernard J.

Tyson Impact Fund, made possible by a contribution from

the Andréa W. and Kenneth C. Frazier Family Foundation.

Since the fund launched earlier this year, the AHA hosted a

community town hall, engaging over 100 participants

representing over 80 organizations, and received 55

expressions of interest totaling over $6 million dollars. The

fund is available for entrepreneurs and nonprofits that are

sustainably addressing access to affordable housing,

access to healthy affordable food, access to healthcare

and economic empowerment for residents in the Nicetown,

Sharswood, Stanton and Strawberry Mansion

neighborhoods of North Philadelphia.

IMPROVING BLOOD PRESSUREWe launched five self-measured blood pressure initiatives

with federally qualified health centers and community clinics, and

two community-based self-measured blood pressure initiatives,

impacting 47,035 people.

We worked alongside nine clinical partners to advance the

Target: BP initiative, providing evidence-based tools and resources to

healthcare professionals and patients, technical assistance to

advance clinical systems changes improving standards of care and

the opportunity for recognition, for sites with blood pressure control

rates of greater than 70%, impacting 373,119 patients.

We distributed over 500 validated blood pressure cuffs and patient resource guides to clinical and community partners.

These cuffs and resources have been utilized to launch ongoing

self-measured blood pressure initiatives and provided to patients

lacking insurance coverage or financial means to purchase cuffs.

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STRENGTHENING THE CHAIN OF SURVIVAL FORSUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST AND STROKE

We distributed 565 Infant CPR Anytime kits to local hospital

NICUs. These kits supported families with high-risk newborns who

did not have the opportunity to receive in-person infant CPR and

first aid training due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have continued our efforts to provide CPR in Schools kits to local school districts, prioritizing The School District of

Philadelphia. We have distributed an additional 39 kits this year

and have launched a CPR Awareness Month campaign to expand

on these efforts as students hopefully return to in-person school

full time in the fall.

We have 32 hospitals focusing on improving stroke protocol and

treatment guidelines. Every applicable hospital in the region is

enrolled in the AHA’s Get with the Guidelines Stroke program, an

in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting

consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines.

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WHAT WE’VE DONE

INCREASING NUTRITION SECURITYWe distributed 22 freezers to food pantries located in North and West Philadelphia, and the city of Chester.

These freezers provide over 12,000 frozen meals per month to under-resourced individuals and families.

In collaboration with a North Philadelphia farm and farmer’s market, we have distributed over 2,000 bags of locally grown vegetables and health education resources at no cost to local residents. Most

recently, we have launched a vegetable prescription program alongside the same farm and a nearby health

center. This program will support patients with uncontrolled hypertension by providing weekly produce

vouchers to be redeemed at the farm, and a self-measured blood pressure program including access to a

validated blood pressure cuff.

We have worked alongside a local anti-hunger organization to provide over 3,500 nutritious lunches to students who would normally access free school meals at two high schools in North Philadelphia.

We have provided guidance and technical assistance to community partners to launch food insecurity

screenings and connect residents to nearby food resources.

We launched a food hub alongside a school in the city of Chester. The food hub, housed in the school,

will provide healthy shelf-stable items, produce and nutritious frozen meals to students and their families, and

the surrounding community, on a bi-weekly basis.

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Thank you to our generous corporate supporters who arehelping fuel the American Heart Association’s mission acrossSoutheastern Pennsylvania with a leadership level gift.

AmeriHealth Caritas

Beach Body Foundation

Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company

Cozen O'Connor

CSMI

CVS Health

FMC Corporation

Independence Blue Cross

Infor

IQVIA

Janssen Research and Development, LLC

Jefferson Health

Main Line Health System

NFI

REEF Parking

Siemens Healthineers

Heart & Torch CircleAndréa W. & Kenneth C. FrazierBarbara & Charles Kahn, Jr

President’s CircleThe Leonard & Madlyn Abramson FoundationStephanie & Matthew Austin, M.D.Sandy & Sidney BrownDonna Nicoletti Ferrier & Joseph J. FerrierLori Nicoletti Peruto & John PerutoMark R. Nicoletti, Sr.

Pacesetter’s CircleSarah E. Bouchard & Frank FesnakCarl DaikelerJennifer & Christopher J. GaviganDanielle & Vahan GureghianLauren & Michael HellerSowmya & Soma Somasundaram

Pulse CircleAnonymous (2)Sharon & Craig AltmanHelaine & Joseph BannerWalter W. Buckley, IIIPeter M. DiBattiste, M.D.Judith R. & Gordon Faulkner, M.D.Tracey & Thomas J. GravinaJoyce & Michael HaganMargot & Robert E. KeithMarcia & Ronald RubinMichael S. SloaneLaura & Richard W. Vague

Champion’s CircleAnonymous (2)Norma & René J. Alvarez, Jr., M.D.Paul D. BachStephanie & Charles BallRabbi Shelly & Elliot S. Barnathan, M.D.Mindie BarnettElizabeth & Thomas BelmontMariann & Gerard BlaneyMarc Brownstein

Teresa Wallace & John ChouDawn & Joseph ClabbersRobert H. ClarkGina K. ClarkKaren & Anthony V. Coletta, M.D.Toni & Steven H. CollisDenise Friedland Conklin & Matthew ConklinEdward S. Cooper, M.D.Lisa Cooper-Hudgins, M.D. & James HudginsSusan & Edward CroushoreJennifer T. & Bryan DavisDr. Susan Dillon & Dr. William WongSusan & Daniel Edmundowicz, M.D.Dr. Judith Wolf & Dr. Howard J. EisenCarl EppleJonathan A. Epstein, M.D.Susan & Jason H. FeuermanKathy GaddesBeverly & Joseph GerberTraci & William Gray, M.D.Amy & Bill GreenJanice & Timothy HaahsBrett HaneyLouise & Peter HavensDr. Beth Bailey & Dr. Steven R. HouserFrank IngariKevin JamesonSarah & Kevin KleinschmidtMacaira & Walter J. Koch, Ph.D.Geri & David KotchMarcie & Morris N. Kotler, M.D.Barbara & Michael KrancerAmy & Michael KopelmanDr. Moira & Dr. Jack LawrenceNancy LazkaniHaley & Peter LesserRosemary J. LoverdiPam Estadt & Ira M. LubertDeborah & John J. Lynch, IIIPamela & Kevin B. MahoneyDr. Susan & Dr. Kenneth MarguliesDr. Pia De Girolamo & Dr. Paul J. MatherSuzanne & Gregory MayesEileen C. McDonnell

Paul McKenzieKathleen & Joseph McKeownCarolyn McLaurin & Daniel ShawNicole & Paul MelchiorrePeter David MillerJan MoyeEileen D. MulliganNeubauer Family FoundationCat OylerKelly & David PacittiSheryl & Joseph ParenteJoseph PetrongoloKaren & Charles E. PhillipsBashar QubainFred RicerKaren & Thomas RobinsonScott RomanoMarcy F. RostRebecca & Joseph ScalioSally G. SharkeyLisa & Donald R. Shauger, Sr.Kate ShieldsRaymond L. Singer, M.D.Vasee SivasegaranKori & Richard L. Snyder, M.D.Steve SomersMary & William StockMichael SullivanSarah SulzenerBarbara & Gerard H. SweeneyJoanne & Terrance TalbotJessica TavaresMaud & Brian TierneyRenee & Michael VenneraJerry WattsAnne & Steven Weiss, M.D.Quenten WentworthLynn & Michael WestMegan & James J. White, IVKaren & Michael YoungDawn & Steven ZierAndrea & Michael Zomber

Updated June 7, 2021

Cor Vitae, Latin for the heart of life, is the American Heart Association’s annual recognition society of more than 6,500 individuals nationally whose significant personal commitments of $5,000 or more are helping to change and save lives. Their extraordinary generosity propels pioneering research and transforms communities.

It is with heartfelt gratitude that we thank these individuals for their ongoing support, driving the American Heart Association to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.

We’d like to recognize this very special group of men and women who have made a

heroic 3 – year investment in Go Red for Women, in honor of the 100th year

anniversary of the American Heart Association in 2024. Their support will build a

culture of health in our community and will provide women with new strategies and

solutions that empower them have a longer, healthier life.

Stephanie and Matthew S. Austin, MD

Barbara and Michael Krancer

Rosemary Loverdi

Jessica Tavares

Dawn and Steven Zier

LEADERSHIP

ChairSusan Croushore, MS, MBARetired Health System Chief Executive Officer

PresidentWilliam A. Gray, MD, FACC, FSCAI System Chief, Division of Cardiovascular DiseasesMain Line Health

Chair-ElectDixie P. JamesPresident & Chief Operating Officer, PhiladelphiaEinstein Healthcare Network

President-ElectDeon W. Vigilance, MDChief of Cardiothoracic SurgeryTrinity Health Mid-Atlantic

Immediate Past PresidentRene J. Alvarez, Jr., MD, FACC, FAHA, FACP, FHFSA Lubert Family Professor of CardiologyDirector, Jefferson Heart InstituteSidney Kimmel School of Medicine – Thomas Jefferson UniversityExecutive Physician Lead, Heart and Vascualar Service Line

MEMBERS

Stephanie AustinPhilanthropist, Advocate & Cardiac Arrest Survivor

Elliot S. Barnathan, MD, FACC, FAHA Senior Director, Cardiovascular Clinical DevelopmentJanssen Research & Development, LLC

Atif BosticExecutive DirectorUplift Solutions

Sarah E. Bouchard, JD Managing PartnerMorgan, Lewis & Brockius LLP

Jason H. Feuerman President, LTC ATOGenesis HealthCare

SEPA 2020-2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORSAndréa W. FrazierFounderFrazier Family Health Equity Fund

William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D. SuperintendentThe School District of Philadelphia

David A. Kotch, MBAVice President & Chief Information OfficerFMC John J. (Jack) Lynch III, FACHEPresident & Chief Executive OfficerMain Line Health Kenneth B. Margulies, MDProfessor of Medicine, Research and Fellowship DirectorHeart Failure & Transplantation Research LabPenn Cardiovascular Institute

Reverend Leroy Miles, Jr., M.Div.Associate PastorENON Tabernacle Baptist Church Mark R. Nicoletti, Sr.President & Co-Chief Executive OfficerPhiladelphia Suburban Development Corporation Joseph M. ParentePrincipal – National Corporate Services LeaderKPMG LLP Richard L. Snyder, MDExecutive Vice President, Facilitated Health Networks& Chief Medical OfficerIndependence Blue Cross

Brian Sweeney, RN, MBA, FACHE President & Chief Operating OfficerJefferson Health – New Jersey

Dwayne Wharton , M.Ed.Co-Founder & Senior AdvisorJust Strategies

Michael A. Young, MHA, FACHEPresident & Chief Executive OfficerTemple University Health System (TUHS)

SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS TO SOUTHEASTERN PA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

I could not have imagined the wild ride we would have as I took over the role of board president from Dr. Rene Alvarez two years ago after his very successful stint. After my first eight months as president, COVID descended upon us in an all-consuming fashion. We stopped seeing each other for quarterly board meetings---the last in-person being January 2020! — but thanks to dedication to the cause and an AHA leadership and staff second to none, we were able to continue, and amplify, our mission. All of you were instrumental in providing creative approaches to unprecedented challenges facing the AHA and because of your commitment, the communities we serve were made more secure during the pandemic, and I truly believe were made better going forward as well. It was an example of this board’s devotion in word and in deed to the concept of addressing the social determinants of healthcare inequities and improving outcomes. I want to personally thank not only Susan Croushore for “stepping into the breach” as chairman at a pivotal time and doing such a terrific job, but also and most importantly all of you for your patience, enthusiasm and engagement in sustaining the AHA and its critical mission in the Philadelphia region. Here’s hoping Deon’s and Dixie’s reign is less challenging but equally if not more productive! – Dr. Bill Gray