CHESTMembership & CommunityPhilanthropyImpact ReportCommunity Impact

Community Impact

Together, we can bridge gaps in care and fund pioneering projects that make lung health accessible for all.

3
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
ORGANIZATIONS

$15K
DISTRIBUTED TO
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

$75K
FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT
GRANTS AWARDED

Burton Lesnick, MD, FCCP

Pillar Champion

Salim Surani, MD, FCCP

Pillar Champion

Imagine a world where everyone, no matter where they live, has access to the health resources they need. That's the world we're building through CHEST's Community Impact grants, which connect vital care and education directly with communities that need them most. With the support of donors, we can continue transforming lives and advancing lung health in impactful ways.

Our 2024 CHEST Community Impact grantees included:

Asthma education for community workers, equipping underserved communities with tools to better manage respiratory health challenges
A unique carbon reduction mural in Milwaukee, raising awareness of how air quality can impact lung health
Expanded access to care for patients with suspected interstitial lung disease in India, bringing life-saving diagnostics and treatment to remote areas

In Boston for CHEST 2024, the generosity of our donors allowed us to support three exceptional local organizations—Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), the Tufts Community Health Workers Engaging in Integrated Care and Community Action Programs Inter-City collaboration, and We Got Us—with $5,000 each to provide essential health services and confront health disparities directly.

Your support funds initiatives that improve respiratory health where it’s needed most—through education, access to care, and community-driven solutions. Make a gift today to help expand these programs and address critical lung health challenges in 2025. MAKE A GIFT »

"The donation we received from CHEST, along with the lung health education materials and pulse oximeters, are still in rotation and are a support for our nurses and patients in respite care. Additionally, we will use the funds in conjunction with our Women's Health Initiative to advance equity in providing health care services and resources for women with chronic lung health issues and/or education and support related to chronic smoking and vaping use. BHCHP being highlighted as an innovative community health care center in Boston at the CHEST Annual Meeting was a gift that allowed us to share our scope of services with attendees from across the country."

– Patricia Holliday
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

From grant recipient to CHEST keynote speaker

In 2015, Vanessa Kerry, MD, received a community impact grant from CHEST to bring critical care training to clinicians in Tanzania. In 2024, she stood on stage at the CHEST Annual Meeting in Boston as the keynote speaker.

READ THE ARTICLE

Expanding your impact, one community at a time

Real change happens when we meet people where they are—providing the education, resources, and care needed to improve lung health in communities across the globe. By investing in CHEST’s Community Impact pillar, you help turn bold ideas into action, directly improving health outcomes for those who need it most.

With your support, we can reach more communities, fund more projects, and expand our impact in 2025. Your gift today ensures that critical initiatives continue to grow. Make a difference with us—your gift brings better lung health to more people, more places, and more lives.

MAKE A GIFT