Advance Auto Parts announced it raised nearly $1.4 million in support of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2020 “Life Is Why We Give” campaign to help fight heart disease and stroke.
The record-setting amount represents a 38% increase compared to 2019 and includes in-store fundraising at more than 5,900 Advance Auto Parts and independently owned Carquest stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as team-member participation in local AHA Heart Walks.
As part of its 2020 fundraising campaign, Advance Auto Parts more than doubled in-store customer contributions and the number of team members who participated in local AHA Heart Walks across the country compared to a year ago.
“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and among Advance’s team members, and we are proud to contribute to the American Heart Association’s work to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and fund research that will enable us all to live longer, healthier lives,” said Tom Greco, president and chief executive officer of Advance Auto Parts. “None of this would be possible without the generous support of countless customers and team members across the country.”
Proceeds from the campaign will go toward innovative research and life-saving tools and information needed to improve cardiovascular health for millions of Americans at a time when it is needed most. According to the AHA, recent studies suggest many COVID-19 survivors experience some type of heart damage, even if they didn’t have underlying heart disease and weren’t sick enough to be hospitalized, increasing the potential for heart failure in the future.
Advance Auto Parts began its support of AHA in 2018. Last year, the company raised more than $1 million dollars for AHA, more than any other participating company in the nation. In September, Advance announced a three-year extension of its support of the AHA.
“We are so appreciative of Advance Auto Parts’ support of our mission and congratulate their team on a successful ‘Life Is Why We Give’ campaign,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “The money they raised will allow us to invest in community health and life-saving research, especially for people who are managing chronic conditions like heart disease to reduce complications that can occur from COVID-19.”