Throughout our long-standing partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), we have annually hosted a Heart Walk to raise funding and awareness for cardiovascular disease and stroke. This year, social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions reshaped the Heart Walk, which became the Virtual Heart-Healthy Wellness Fair. This digital adaptation of the event included a variety of wellness classes like meditation, Zumba, cooking, HIIT, yoga, Afro-Caribbean dance and so much more!

This was a particularly important year for our event because individuals with pre-existing heart conditions are at higher risk for developing complications from COVID-19. In addition, the disproportionately destructive effect of COVID-19 on Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities has revealed many inherent systemic inequities, which the AHA and the KLA Foundation are investing significant resources to address.

Supporting our strategic partners and providing community-building activities are more important than ever. While pivoting to a digital format for our annual events is an adjustment, we are grateful to everyone who donated and participated to help save lives. In the end, our virtual event was a huge success, raising over $100,000! Despite the challenges the year has posed, events like this show that together we can still make a positive impact on our communities.

Check out the Wellness Fair pictures below and be sure to visit www.kla.foundation to learn more about how the KLA Foundation is making a difference!