Rural at Heart
The Challenge
More than 60 million people live in rural communities across the United States, where access to healthcare, education, and resources can be limited. People in rural communities live nearly three years fewer than those in urban areas, and they are also more likely to develop heart disease or experience a cardiac emergency.
Geographic distance, workforce shortages, and limited access to healthy food and care create persistent barriers, that without sustained, community-based solutions, will continue to grow.
Our Approach
Rural at Heart, an initiative of the American Heart Association, works alongside rural and tribal communities to improve cardiovascular health by expanding access to education, prevention, and lifesaving resources.
At its core, Rural at Heart recognizes that communities know their own needs best. The initiative helps connect local leaders, organizations, and residents with evidence-based tools and support, including:
- Heart health education to increase awareness and prevention
- Blood pressure monitoring and support to detect risk early
- CPR and Hands-Only CPR training to save lives in emergencies
- Nutrition and wellness education to promote healthier lifestyles
By meeting people face to face in public spaces, Rural at Heart builds trust, listens first, and supports community-leading paths to better health.
Libraries with Heart™ in Action
Libraries with Heart™ brings trusted heart health resources into local libraries, offering access to blood pressure monitoring equipment, multilingual education, and connections to care in familiar community spaces.
Supported by Rural at Heart Community Connectors, the program helps communities identify local needs, build trust, and strengthen capacity for better heart health. By fostering active collaboration with local clinics and federally qualified health centers, Libraries with Heart™ also creates community-clinical linkages that connect patrons to care options, including resources for people who may not have health care benefits.
Who We Serve
Rural at Heart supports:
- Rural and tribal communities across the United States
- Individuals with limited access to health care and preventive services
- Community-based organizations and health care providers working to improve health outcomes
These communities often face higher rates of risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes, making prevention and education critical.
2025 HeartCorps Impact Report |
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The HeartCorps Impact Report highlights data and real-world examples showing how HeartCorps members partnered with host sites to strengthen community health and expand access to resources. It demonstrates the initiative’s collective impact, reach, and value in advancing healthier communities nationwide. |
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Our Impact
Together with local organizations and community leaders, we are supporting meaningful, measurable progress by:
- Expanding access to care through clinical and community linkages
- Increasing early detection and prevention efforts
- Creating blood pressure measuring and monitoring opportunities
- Equipping communities with skills to improve bystander CPR rates
- Working to put Cardiac Emergency Response Plans into action
- Strengthening relationships that improve long-term health outcomes
- Promoting health literacy through community outreach and education
These efforts help communities build on their strengths, make informed choices, and shape healthier futures on their own terms.
Why Continued Support Matters
The need for improved heart health in rural communities is ongoing and growing, and sustained investment in Rural at Heart allows the American Heart Association to continue learning with communities and supporting locally relevant solutions by:
- Reach more communities with lifesaving programs
- Expand access to education, prevention, and care resources
- Strengthening community-based health infrastructure
- Support scalable, sustainable solutions shaped with community input
Continued support helps ensure this progress grows through trusted relationships, local leadership, and shared commitment to saving lives.
Partnering for Impact
Rural at Heart is powered by collaboration. With the support of mission-driven organizations and sponsors, we can work with communities to:
- Break down barriers to care
- Expand access to critical resources
- Support communities as they lead lasting health improvements
Join Us in Making an Impact
Every community deserves the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives, no matter where they live. Supporting the American Heart Association to strengthen Rural at Heart helps sustain a collaborative approach that closes gaps by listening, learning, and acting together.
Better Health Resources
To help you take the next step toward better health, explore these trusted resources from the American Heart Association. You'll find practical information you can use at home and in your community.
The Rural at Heart Experience
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The American Heart Association is supporting tribal health in North Carolina. Watch Rural at Heart: The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
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Professional development is a big part of Rural at Heart. Watch Rural at Heart: Porter County, Indiana.
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Our Community Connector in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, is making her mark in her beloved community.
The Rural at Heart initiative is supported by The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Truist Charitable Fund.