The American Heart Association has recognized two community-focused innovators with its 2026 Impact with Heart recognition for developing scalable solutions to make healthcare and essential benefits more accessible nationwide. This recognition comes amid projections that at least 6 in 10 U.S. adults will have some form of cardiovascular disease, causing related healthcare costs to triple, according to research available at https://newsroom.heart.org/news/population-shifts-risk-factors-may-triple-u-s-cardiovascular-disease-costs-by-2050. Heart disease and stroke already kill more people annually than all forms of cancer combined.
Optimal cardiovascular health is shaped not only by clinical care but also by access to coverage, transportation, nutritious food and stress-reducing support, as detailed in the advisory at https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.000000000000093. The Impact with Heart program focuses on lifting up local, community-based entrepreneurs and organizations powered by the Association's Social Impact Funds and its EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator™. This support pairs investment capital with coaching and strategic guidance to help ensure participating companies succeed.
This year's honorees include Mammha, a Miami-based Social Impact Funds portfolio company transforming perinatal mental health care. Founded and led by CEO Maureen Fura, Mammha's text- and web-based platform streamlines maternal mental health screening, referral and treatment in clinics and remotely to help more mothers who may be experiencing depression and anxiety receive timely, culturally relevant support.
The second honoree is ThriveLink, a St. Louis-headquartered EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator alumnus using AI-powered voice technology to enroll families in essential programs like Medicaid, food assistance and utility support. Founded and led by CEO Kwamane Liddell, ThriveLink removes internet and literacy hurdles so people can complete complex applications by voice, reducing paperwork barriers and connecting families to life-changing resources. A recent investment by the Social Impact Funds is accelerating ThriveLink's reach.
"The American Heart Association has a long history of impact, but the challenges ahead demand new approaches, new partnerships and bold leadership," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "What you see through Impact with Heart are powerful examples of what's possible when mission-driven innovators are given the resources, trust and support to scale ideas that remove barriers to care and improve lives."
Launched in 2018, the Association's Social Impact Funds, part of American Heart Association Ventures, support for-profit and nonprofit organizations tackling key social drivers of health—health care access & quality, food security and economic vitality—through a program of equity investments, loans and grants. The EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator provides philanthropic support and an MBA-style curriculum that helps health-focused entrepreneurs refine business models, strengthen storytelling and prepare to scale solutions that address food and nutrition security, access to care and community impact.
The recognition of these innovators occurs as cardiovascular disease prevalence is expected to grow, according to forecasting research published at https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001256. By supporting scalable solutions that address fundamental barriers to healthcare access, the American Heart Association aims to create meaningful impact in communities facing significant health challenges.
