Rush University System for Health has announced a $10 million gift from BMO Financial Group to establish an institute dedicated to advancing health equity, with a focus on Chicago's West Side.

The gift will establish the Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity and support initiatives in four key areas: education and workforce development, ensuring that each of the university's twenty-two hundred students is exposed to coursework that increases their understanding of health disparities and expanding career pathways for West Side residents; community-based clinical practice aimed at reducing West Siders' risk factors for chronic diseases; community engagement, with a focus on sustained partnerships in areas such as food security, mental health, addiction, and weight loss; and health equity research.

"Rush has a long-held commitment to improving the health of the communities we serve. Now, we're building upon our foundation of strong community-based programs and partnerships," said Rush University Medical Center president and CEO Omar Lateef. "The Rush BMO Institute for Health Equity, our most concentrated investment in health equity yet, will allow us to organize and coordinate all of our strategies for eliminating health inequities under a single umbrella. We thank BMO for their incredible generosity, and we look forward to a long and impactful partnership together."