The American Heart Association has recognized two community-focused innovators with its 2026 Impact with Heart recognition, highlighting scalable solutions to remove barriers to health care and essential benefits. The announcement, made during an annual honors event on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in New York City, underscores the organization's commitment to accelerating health care solutions amid projections that at least 6 in 10 U.S. adults will have some form of cardiovascular disease, with related costs expected to triple. The Association's Social Impact Funds and EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator support these mission-driven organizations with investment capital, coaching, and strategic guidance.
Mammha, based in Miami, is a 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, helping more mothers experiencing depression and anxiety receive timely, culturally relevant support. ThriveLink, headquartered in St. Louis, is an 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 and quality, food security, and economic vitality—through equity investments, loans, and grants. The EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator provides philanthropic support and an MBA-style curriculum helping health-focused entrepreneurs refine business models, strengthen storytelling, and prepare to scale solutions addressing food and nutrition security, access to care, and community impact.
According to a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association, structural racism is a fundamental driver of health disparities, and optimal cardiovascular health is shaped not only by clinical care but also by access to coverage, transportation, nutritious food, and stress-reducing support (source). The recognition of Mammha and ThriveLink reflects the Association's focus on addressing these upstream factors to improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease, which already kills more people each year than all forms of cancer combined.
