From Our Team

Foundations release their 2020 Annual Reports

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Tracy J. Yellen

Endurance • Resilience • Community “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” – Lady Bird Johnson

The boards and staff of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, Paso del Norte Health Foundation and Fundación Paso del Norte are pleased to announce the release of their 2020 Annual Reports.

Like a cactus in the desert, 2020 underscored our collective ability to face difficult circumstances with dignity, grace, and hope. We came together as a Community of Philanthropy with a combined $35.5 million in grants and charitable projects in 2020 and $255.3 million since 1995 to respond, support, invest, and grow. The online 2020 reports highlight the collaborative work to improve health, education, social services, economic development, and quality of life in the region, grants awarded to nonprofit organizations and an accounting of foundation resources.

In 2020, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation invested $12 million in grants and charitable expenses in five priority areas: Healthy Eating & Active Living, Tobacco & Alcohol Prevention, Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being, Healthy Kids, Health Leadership, which included COVID-19 to promote health and prevent disease in partnership with 70 grantees and community-based partnerships in our region. The Health Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary as well with a tribute on its website at pdnhf.org.

In 2020, the Paso del Norte Community Foundation received $25.6 million in donations as the result of 9,269 gifts from 6,867 donors for one or more of over 100 donor-advised, designated, scholarship and supporting organization funds, invested $23.5 million in grants, scholarships, and charitable projects, and ended the year with $22 million in assets. The mission of the PdN Community Foundation is to support the philanthropic goals of individuals, family, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to improve education, health, social services, economic development, and quality of life in our region.

In 2020, the Fundación Paso del Norte invested $700,000 mobilizing resources for COVID-19 response, continuing signature initiatives – the Reto por la Salud/Health Challenge and partnership with FICOSEC - providing resources to nonprofit organizations to improve health and address gender violence, and growing resources for designated funds with thanks to a generous challenge grant from the Hunt Family Foundation and gifts large and small from across the region. The Fundación PDN celebrated its fifth year of work to improve quality of life in Ciudad Juárez advancing health initiatives and philanthropic partnerships, after being established by the Paso del Norte Health Foundation in 2015.

The Foundations are saddened by the lives lost due to the pandemic, grateful to the healthcare heroes and frontline workers who responded with grace and stamina, and appreciative of the community that came together to help individuals, families, and organizations in need.

The Foundations extend their sincere thanks to the thousands of individuals and organizations for their generosity, support, and partnership in this growing Community of Philanthropy. Learn more about our impact, grantmaking, partners, funds, investments, financial statements, and board and staff leadership in the 2020 Annual Reports.

Tracy J. Yellen

Tracy J. Yellen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, which includes the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, Fundación Paso del Norte, El Paso Giving Day and a growing community of philanthropy. Ms. Yellen earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies from The Johns Hopkins University and Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso. She is a former college basketball player and marathon runner. Tracy is married to Steve Yellen and has two children.