Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW), the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, today announced that The Edwards Lifesciences Fund is granting $1.8 million to 107 nonprofit organizations as part of its fifth annual grant cycle. This fund is a donor-advised fund of the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program.
Grants made outside of the grant cycle are expected to reach $2.8 million by the end of the year, which includes funding to the University of California, Irvine related to the development of The Edwards Lifesciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology. This will bring total grants to $4.6 million in 2009 and more than $14 million since the fund's inception in 2004.
"Recognizing that the economy has caused many challenges, our fund is awarding more grants for programs that provide basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing this year," said Michael A. Mussallem, Edwards Lifesciences' chairman and CEO. "I'm proud that during these tough times, we have been able to increase both the amount of funding and the number of organizations that receive grants from The Edwards Lifesciences Fund. Partnering with these worthy organizations enables us to leverage their reach to strengthen our global communities."
The company established The Edwards Lifesciences Fund to support advancements in knowledge and improvements in quality of life, focusing primarily upon cardiovascular disease and the communities where Edwards' employees live and work. The fund has made grants to programs such as basic needs support, cardiac medical missions in underserved regions, and cardiovascular disease education and screening. More information about the fund, including a complete list of organizations that received grants during the 2009 grant cycle, is available at www.edwards.com/edwardsfund.
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