The JHS will continue novel epidemiologic research on cardiovascular (CV) and related diseases in this cohort, serve as a resource to the scientific community for future research, promote cardiovascular health in the Jackson area, and encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue biomedical careers. The purpose of this acquisition is to provide a Community Engagement Center to support activities to promote cardiovascular health in the Jackson community and beyond. The objectives are to (1) provide a strategy and infrastructure for delivering timely, evidence-based health information in general and heart disease risk reduction information in particular, especially findings from JHS and other related CVD research; (2) conduct evidence-based health education programming throughout the JHS area that serves to address heart disease risk factor reduction in African Americans; (3) establish strategic partnerships that broaden the reach of the JHS; (4) perform community-based pilot research studies or demonstration projects for CVD risk reduction that, if successful, can be scalable to larger efforts; and (5) publish results and impact of CEC’s work.