HHC Global Ambassador Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean

New York, NY - The Fund for HHC, the philanthropic arm of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, today announced that iconic music producer Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean will serve as the first Global Ambassador for New York City’s public hospitals system. An internationally recognized and award-winning musical and visual artist, Swizz Beatz will help build awareness and philanthropic support for HHC arts and healing initiatives that help deepen the therapeutic relationship with patients and strategic community health projects. This will strengthen HHC’s ability to provide care and positive life options to underserved populations.

“Swizz Beatz shares HHC’s vision for expanding access to care and improving the quality of healthcare for all New Yorkers. We are excited to work with such a talented artist and compassionate human being to help advance our vital role as a safety net system and innovative healthcare leader,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles.

“Swizz Beatz is committed to using his creativity, his innovation, and his international stature to help spread the HHC message on a global scale to promote better health in our city and our world,” said Joe Schick, Executive Director of The Fund for HHC.

“As an artist, I understand the important role that art can play as part of the healing process,” said Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean. “In life, it’s important to give back, so I am honored to partner with New York City’s public hospitals in their mission to provide quality healthcare for all New Yorkers.”

The Fund for HHC will formally present Swizz Beatz as HHC Global Ambassador at a celebratory event and fundraiser to mark the opening of the new Harlem Hospital Center Mural Pavilion on September 27, 2012 at 7 p.m. The event will showcase the return to public view of the famed Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project (WPA) murals, honor the hospital’s past and present heroes, launch HHC’s philanthropic relationship with Swizz Beatz, and raise money to support The Fund for HHC. The evening fundraising event will be held at the Mural Pavilion, which stretches along Lenox Avenue and features a replica of a WPA mural in a spectacular multi-story glass façade.

Swizz Beatz is a Grammy Award winning record producer, DJ, rapper, painter, apparel designer, and philanthropist. Born and raised in the South Bronx, Swizz Beatz has produced for labels like Elektra, Atlantic, Def Jam Recordings, and Bad Boy Entertainment, working with artists such as DMX, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Busta Rhymes. He is also known for his creative design partnership with Reebok. An avid art collector and painter, Swizz Beatz is involved in several philanthropic causes around young people and art. Swizz Beatz and his wife, Alicia Keys, live in New York City.

About The Fund for HHC 

The Fund for HHC is the philanthropic arm of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) that secures external support for a variety of HHC programs and awareness-building efforts. The Fund for HHC is a catalyst for innovative approaches to help HHC patients gain improved access to safe, high-quality healthcare. The Fund works closely with HHC clinical management staff to identify projects that align with HHC’s mission and strategic priorities, and to secure financial support for them. The Fund’s funding priorities include: reducing violence, providing youth development opportunities, and raising self-esteem among young men; increasing accessibility to healthcare for adolescents; fostering the powerful healing alliance between healthcare and the arts; and expanding access to comprehensive healthcare for all New Yorkers. For more information, visit www.thefundforhhc.org, or call (646) 458-2810.

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc.

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