More than 426 Upstate students, employees, friends and family raised almost $27,000 to benefit the American Heart Association at the Syracuse Heart Walk in April.

Upstate began its Black History celebration by honoring the Rev. Phil Turner and Upstate's Geralyn Hall, FNP, for their dedication to the community and appreciation of diversity. The event included local entertainment and heart healthy soul food.

More than 30 Upstate Team Captains and leaders gathered in January to kick off recruiting efforts for Upstate's participation in the 2013 Syracuse Heart Walk on April 6.

In November, 3rd graders from Dr. Martin Luther King Magnet School received new dictionaries from Upstate medical students as part of the National Dictionary Project.

Upstate has 262 veterans, reservists and guards among its employees. In November, a ceremony was held to honor those veterans, and close to 40 Upstate employees and family members marched in the CNY Veterans Day parade.

Team Upstate participated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes, raising funds for juvenile diabetes in September.

Upstate students and employees participated in the March for Babies in October, and raised $8,000 for the March of Dimes.

30 Upstate employees participated in the Step Out Walk to Fight Diabetes in October, and raised $5,000 for the American Diabetes Association.

More than 235 Upstate students and employees participated in the 2nd annual 'A Run For Their Life' in October, raising more than $6,000 to benefit the Carol M. Baldwin Research Fund and Upstate Medical University's research for breast cancer.

140 members of Team Upstate raised more than $10,500 at the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in September.