Health and Education Alert (HEAT) Inc

Health and Education Alert (HEAT) began as Community Health Alert (CHAT), a grassroots initiative aimed at mobilizing assistance in the United States and supporting community groups in Sierra Leone, West Africa. In 2013, the founders of the program secured a donation of used medical equipment from Kinderen Hospital in Pennsylvania. These supplies were shipped and donated to the Makama Government Hospital in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone.

During the Ebola epidemic, CHAT—later rebranded as HEAT Incorporation—joined forces with a coalition of Sierra Leonean nonprofit and community groups in Pennsylvania. Together, they raised funds and sourced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which they donated to the Christian Health Association of Sierra Leone (CHASL) in Freetown.

These pivotal experiences inspired the founders to broaden their mission. They saw the need to address critical challenges in health, education, climate change, and sustainable development, both in Sierra Leone and the United States. As this vision evolved, the program continued to carry out community interventions on both sides of the Atlantic.

In August 2020, it was officially decided to transform the initiative into Health and Education Alert (HEAT) Incorporation. The necessary legal documentation was filed, and HEAT was successfully established as a nonprofit organization. The organization now focuses on four key areas: health, education, climate change, and sustainable development.

HEAT is currently registered with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State and holds an Employer Identification Number (EIN) as well as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. As the organization continues to address pressing global and local issues, it actively seeks volunteers and donors to strengthen its capacity to deliver impactful programs in both the United States and Sierra Leone.