The Merck Foundation, headquartered in Rahway, has launched a major national effort—the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care—and two prominent New Jersey health providers, Capital Health System and Zufall Health Center, are at the forefront of the fight to reduce heart disease disparities.
The five-year, $22 million initiative aims to enhance access to high-quality heart care in communities where timely treatment for cardiovascular disease is a significant challenge.
New Jersey’s inclusion in the inaugural group of 11 grantees underscores the recognition of local needs within the state. The funding will support the development and implementation of comprehensive, evidence-informed programs at:
- Capital Health System (Trenton)
- Zufall Health Center (Morris County)
These organizations will focus on addressing not just the medical needs of patients, but also the social factors—the environment, resources, and circumstances—that influence heart health outcomes in their respective communities.
“Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one cause of death for men and women living in the U.S., and its burden hits under-resourced communities the hardest,” Kalahn Taylor-Clark, vice president and head, Social Impact & Sustainability, Merck, said, highlighting the urgency of the Collaborative’s mission.
The announcement, made from Merck’s home base in Rahway, highlights the Foundation’s enduring commitment to community-focused programs. The two New Jersey grantees join nine other nonprofit health organizations across the nation—from California to D.C. to Wisconsin—in receiving support from the grant.
The entire effort will be guided by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, which will serve as the National Program Office (NPO). The NPO will provide technical assistance and ensure that successful, scalable approaches are shared among all the grantees, effectively leveraging the power of collaboration.
By investing in organizations like Capital Health in Trenton and Zufall Health Center in Morris County, the Merck Foundation is facilitating tailored, local solutions to a national health crisis, paving the way for sustained improvements in cardiac care delivery right here in the Garden State.
