Investing in Health Today
Promise for a Healthy Tomorrow

There is an intangible spirit that lifts us up every day and inspires us to make a difference in the health of the people living in the Paso del Norte region. We embrace a future where all people in the region have the knowledge, resources and environment needed to live healthy lives.

The year 2016 marked renewed strategies where we worked with more than 100 partners and grantees in each of our five priority areas to make multiple program investments and policy changes to motivate healthy living.

Healthy Eating and Active Living – (HEAL)

• Paso del Norte Institute for Healthy Living worked with more than 20 grantees from the Health Foundation’s HEAL initiative to evaluate programs, provide technical assistance and expertise related to healthy eating and active living.
• Las Cruces Public Schools received the Health Department Award by the State of New Mexico for their innovative approach to improve health in school-age children through the “Focused Fitness-FIVE FOR LIFE” P.E. curriculum supported by the Health Foundation. Learn more. →

Tobacco and Alcohol Prevention

• City of El Paso and City of Anthony, New Mexico adopted social host ordinances aimed at reducing binge drinking among teens. Learn more. →
• Convenience stores in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico like Del Rio began an impressive advocacy campaign to reduce the sale of alcohol to minors.

Mental Health and Emotional Well-being

• New Mexico State University hosted the 2016 Pete Domenici Public Policy Annual Conference. With the Health Foundation’s support, a mental health track featured top thought leaders and also served as a launch event for the Doña Ana Wellness Institute and its work to improve the Doña Ana County behavioral health system.
• The Health Foundation's Think.Change Initiative supported programs like the National Alliance on Mental Illness' (NAMI) signature program "Family-to-Family" that teaches concise, empathetic communication with family members who have mental health conditions. More than 27 classes have been held throughout the region. Learn more. →

Healthy Kids

• More than 250 disconnected youth have participated in the program since its inception, and the La Rodadora museum continues receiving applications for its future cohorts. This program has shown positive outcomes for both the youth participants and museum patrons alike. Learn more. →
• FEMAP has trained more than 200 teens to be peer leaders in helping other teens have conversations about healthy sexuality through its “With Sexuality, You Have a Voice” program, funded by the Health Foundation’s Two Should Know Initiative.

Health Leadership

• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) of El Paso announced the launch of the new TTUHSC Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine with a $25 million leadership commitment from The Hunt Family Foundation and $6 million commitment from the Health Foundation. Learn more. →
• The REALIZE Executive Experience graduated its third cohort of 20 health leaders and the REALIZE Board program hosted two conferences and four workshops in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico delivering relevant training to hundreds of nonprofit volunteers and executive leaders on best practices in nonprofit board governance. Learn more. →
• The Health Foundation worked with dozens of health leaders throughout the region to develop the 2016 Healthy Paso del Norte Report to set measurable objectives to improve health in key priority areas supported by regional data made publicly available on the Healthy Paso del Norte website. Learn more. →

Additionally, the Health Foundation worked with its family of foundations on both sides of the border to leverage philanthropy and improve health and quality of life in the region.

• The Paso del Norte Charitable Foundation completed its third and final year of its Challenge Fund program raising and returning more than $3.3 million to support charitable purposes in the region; worked with multiple partners to launch the inaugural El Paso Giving Day raising more than $100,000 for 135 nonprofit organizations in a single day; and welcomed new funds from individuals, families, corporations, foundations and nonprofit organizations including the Hoy Family Fund, Boys & Girls Clubs of El Paso Foundation and El Paso Pro-Musica Foundation to grow their resources and endowment funds. Learn more. →
• The Fundación Paso del Norte para la Salud y Bienestar in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico launched the $1 million Hunt Family Foundation Challenge Grant to inspire, leverage and grow philanthropy to support nonprofit entities dedicated to health and quality of life in Ciudad Juárez; hosted REALIZE board and staff leadership and governance capacity building programs; and established an exciting partnership with the Bravos Fútbol Club to support Juárez en Acción. Learn more. →