Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) has announced a $50 million gift from the Kraft Family Foundation in support of efforts to address healthcare disparities caused by race, ethnicity, geography, and economic status.

The largest gift in support of community health and health equity in the 211-year history of Mass General more than doubles the previous commitments by the family of Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots. The gift will support the Robert K. Kraft Endowed Chair in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, a permanent position that will address health disparities in clinical care and be held by the medical director of Mass General’s center for sickle cell disease—a historically underfunded blood disorder affecting African Americans and Latinos of Caribbean ancestry, as well as people of Middle Eastern and Indian Subcontinent descent. In addition, the gift will further endow the Kraft Center for Community Health (KCCH), established in 2011 with support from the Kraft family, and fund the expansion of the Mass General Blood Donor Center, which will be renamed after the Kraft family.

“The support of the Kraft family has been vital in advancing community health and health equity across the Commonwealth,” said Elsie Taveras, KCCH executive director and chief community health and health equity officer at Mass General Brigham. “This visionary gift will make a significant impact in the lives of people and the communities we serve, particularly for the most vulnerable, strengthening health care, improving health outcomes, and eliminating health disparities.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia/New England Patriots)