November 10, 2025
La Clínica del Pueblo Receives Five-Year Grant Award from Merck Foundation to Improve Cardiovascular Care in Washington D.C. and Prince George’s County, Maryland
Washington, D.C. – La Clínica del Pueblo announced it was awarded a prestigious five-year grant through the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care, an initiative funded by the Merck Foundation, to enhance access to high-quality, person-centered health care for people living with heart conditions. The award will fund a local program that will help close gaps in the delivery of cardiac care in Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
“Cardiovascular disease affects far too many families and their loved ones in our community, yet there is so much that we can do to prevent and manage it, to support people and help them live longer, healthier lives. This program will help us expand our comprehensive, culturally responsive approach to care by connecting patients with access to specialty care, and community-based support. We are grateful to the Merck Foundation for this generous gift and are excited to enhance access to cardiac care in our community.”
-Dr. Amina Chaudhry, Chief Health Officer, La Clínica del Pueblo
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death in Washington, D.C., and Prince George’s County, Maryland, with Latino adults disproportionately affected. Between 2019 and 2021, CVD mortality among Hispanic adults aged 35+ was 475.4 per 100,000 in D.C. and 459.3 in Prince George’s County—well above the national average of 322.71. These disparities reflect entrenched inequities in prevention, access, diagnosis, and care continuity for structurally excluded 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. By addressing the medical and social needs of people living with heart conditions, the Collaborative for Equity in Cardiac Care will have a significant, lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities across the country,” said Kalahn Taylor-Clark, vice president and head, Social Impact & Sustainability, Merck.
Nationally, 52.3% of Latino men and 42.7% of Latina women over age 20 live with CVD, yet are less likely to be diagnosed early or receive guideline-directed care4. Heart failure mortality is rising fastest among young Hispanic men, intensifying an urgent crisis across communities facing linguistic, economic, and insurance-related barriers5.
In addition to La Clínica del Pueblo, Collaborative program grantees include Capital Health System; Public Health Institute / Population Health Innovation Lab; University of Chicago; UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care; Providence Medical Foundation; The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness; Zufall Health Center; Georgia State University Research Foundation/Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement; MedNorth Health Center and Gallup Community Health.
As a Collaborative, grantees will help bridge gaps in the delivery of care for a range of heart conditions and advance sustainable, and potentially scalable, approaches to improve the lives of people with heart disease.
The Foundation is also supporting the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity as the Collaborative’s National Program Office, which will provide technical assistance to grantees as they build local partnerships and implement their programs. The National Program Office will also foster peer-to-peer learning among grantees, conduct a cross site evaluation and disseminate the Collaborative’s results and lessons learned.
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La Clínica del Pueblo is a non-profit 501c (3) Federally Qualified Health Center that serves the Greater Washington area. We provide integrated primary care, mental health, and case management services. We also offer a range of programs that support people living with HIV, assist survivors of gender-based violence, deliver school-based mental health services, and offer health literacy education. Founded in 1983, La Clínica is a trusted leader and continues to champion policies that increase access to health care for the Latino community and all who call this area home.