Atlanta-Jamaican Dr. Basil W. Kong receives

 Association of Black Cardiologists’

Legacy Award

Dr. B. Waine Kong was awarded the 2019 Spirit of the Heart Legacy Award from the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) on Saturday, October 12, 2019 at a banquet at the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.

The award was in recognition of his exceptional commitment to the mission and vision of the Association of Black Cardiologists and his extraordinary contributions to reduce cardiovascular disease in minority communities.

Dr. Kong is currently the President of the Heart Institute of the Caribbean Foundation, and CEO Emeritus for the Association of Black Cardiologists.

Dr. Kong Kong was born in the tiny community of Woodlands, in St. Elizabeth Parish in southwestern Jamaica.  He graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa where he attended on a track scholarship and earned his MA in Educational Psychology from American University in Washington DC. He went on to earn an Advanced Graduate Specialist (A.G.S.) certificate in Special Education from the University of Maryland and a PhD from Walden University. Later, he would attend the Dickinson School of Law and join the Georgia Bar Association.

He was an Assistant Professor of Human Development at the University of the District of Columbia, the Vice President of Provident Hospital in Baltimore, the Executive Director of the Urban Cardiology Research Center in Baltimore.

He was the CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists for twenty-two years before his retirement in 2008. He and his wife, Dr. Stephanie Kong, opened ZOe Pediatrics in 2012 in Thomaston, GA and along with ten other pediatricians, now serve 200 children per day from six locations.

Dr. Kong has visited over 100 countries and is an avid golfer who recently shot even par (4 better than his age) and served as President of Kiwanis (Thomaston, GA) and Lieutenant Governor (GA). He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Gordon State College (Barnesville, GA) and has been a weekly columnist for three years for the Thomaston Beacon. He is also the Director of Education for Alpha Phi Alpha in Columbus, GA.

Dr. Kong is author/co-author of more than 50 publications including several books, most notably “Bad Boy From Jamaica”. He made hundreds of speeches nationally and abroad; and is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades.

Under Dr. Kong’s leadership, ABC introduced its signature 7 Steps to a Healthy Heart. This campaign centered on research-supported steps individuals can take to reduce the development of cardiovascular disease and other health issues.  For nearly two decades, this highly requested resource remains available in English, Spanish, print and digital formats.

ABC’s most recognized campaign, “Children Should Know Their Grandparents,” is the brainchild of Dr. Kong. This campaign, initiated in 2001, is still referenced today [18 years later].  It was designed to enlist family members to fight against heart disease in the African American community.  The tools used to support this initiative included “A Guide to A Healthy Heart,” a 30-minute educational video starring actor Robert Guillaume, and a 44-page companion guidebook. “Children Should Know Their Grandparents” captured headlines in nine target markets and generated more than 9,937,562 impressions.  More than 50,000 visitors logged on to ABC’s website and viewed the “Children Should Know Their Grandparents” video.  The ABC fielded over 100 requests for the video and guidebook program to be sent to local libraries and community centers.  The Journal of American College of Cardiology wrote an editorial about the program, commending the ABC for its ongoing commitment and said, “It is a different kind of program because it addresses the needs and culture of the African American community.”

One of ABC’s most enduring programs is its community outreach. Dr. Kong and ABC founding member and past president, Dr. Saunders, pioneered ABC’s community health programs beginning in the late seventies. With a five-year grant from the NHLBI in 1979, they started training volunteers from hundreds of churches in Maryland to monitor blood pressure of the churches’ members and make appropriate referrals. In 1980, as a way to more directly reach African American men, they used left over equipment and literature to organize 20 barbers in six barbershops as high blood pressure control centers as well. This Innovative approach paved the way for proliferation of church-based, barbershop and beauty salon programs throughout the U.S. Over a period of more than two decades, Dr. Saunders and Dr. Kong worked as a team to further develop and expand the reach of church and barbershop programs through the ABC and establish scholarship around their efforts. Though it now bears its signature name, “Spirit of the Heart,” it has evolved and expanded since its early beginnings, extending its reach to schools, corporate wellness programs and even an outreach on Capitol Hill for Congress and its staff.

Today, a grandparent himself with six grandchildren from his four children, Dr. Kong continues to work to increase the lifespan of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke in his role as president of the Heart Institute of the Caribbean Foundation headquartered in his native Jamaica.

The Association of Black Cardiologists is proud to honor Dr. Basil Waine Kong with the 2019 Legacy Award.

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The Bahamas Consul General Atlanta to Announce New Partnership to Assist Metro-Atlanta Hurricane Relief Efforts

ATLANTA, GA—September 9, 2019—The Bahamas Consulate General Atlanta will announce details of a new partnership with the Atlanta-based nonprofit, Caring For Others, Inc. It will help to streamline the process for preparing donations to be inventoried and shipped to the two islands affected by Hurricane Dorian. The announcement will be made Monday, September 9^th, 2019, 9a.m. at Caring For Others, 3537 Browns Mill Rd SE #2, Atlanta, GA 30354. The announcement is the latest development in The Bahamas Strong relief effort.

According to Consul General Astra Armbrister-Rolle, the Consulate, which represents the Bahamian government in Atlanta, has collected more than 20,000 lbs. of donations. The need in The Bahamas is staggering and the generosity of people across metro-Atlanta has been equally matched. The new collaboration with Caring For Others, an international human services organization, will support the short-term and long-term recovery efforts in The Bahamas. Consul General Armbrister-Rolle said, “Partnering with Caring for Others and the Convoy of Care will allow us to move donations across Atlanta and expand our storage capacity. Caring for Others will assist us with preparing and processing donations for shipping to the islands affected by the storm. When natural disasters affect neighboring communities and states, Caring for Others sends a Convoy of Care filled with necessities and relief items. With the help of these partners, The Bahamas Consulate General Atlanta will be able to inventory, wrap and palatize donations and prep them for transport to the two affected islands.”

The Consul General would like to encourage donations of port-a-potties, cots/beds, medical supplies, mass care shelters and fuel supply as the relief efforts are now prioritizing shelter for the homeless, and care of the injured. Non-perishable foods and basic personal care items like diapers, baby formula, toothpaste, toothbrushes and sanitary napkins will continue to be accepted. In addition, hurricane survivors in The Bahamas need mops, brooms, rakes, shovels, batteries and water purification/filtration devices.

Media covering the event should arrive by 9am and email kaliah@hentonjonesmedia.com for any questions.

Since 2009, The Bahamas Consulate General Atlanta has served the needs of Bahamians in the Southeastern United States. The Bahamas Consulate provides services such as visa and passport issuance and renewal. The Consulate also provides interviews for residency or citizenship as well as authentication of legal documents.

Established in 2001, Caring For Others, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that works to help people struggling with the effects of natural disasters, impoverished circumstances, and temporary misfortune live with dignity. The organization partners with service organizations, governmental agencies, communities of faith and corporate partners to provide services that include food distribution, clothing, toys, shoes, furniture and personal necessities domestically and globally.

-END-

Thanks,

Kaliah Henton-Jones

Public Relations/Media Relations

239-910-9991

www.hentonjonesmedia.com

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