From Our Team

Fresh Start program connecting those in need with resources to address food insecurity

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Jana Renner

Individuals and families are among our region’s most vulnerable populations that find themselves without enough food to put on the table on a daily basis. Food pantries and programs like the Kelly Center for Hunger Relief and its Fresh Start program are having a direct impact on combatting food insecurity. The Kelly Center for Hunger Relief has helped provide nutritious food to the food insecure of El Paso County for 20 years.

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that 36 million, or one in nine, Americans were food insecure in 2018, including more than 11 million children….

THC vaping in teens is rising at a frightening rate

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Enrique Mata

Parents, grandparents, and caregivers need to be aware of a growing problem youth are facing today. The rise in Tetrahydrocannabinol oil (THC) vaping. According to the County of El Paso Juvenile Probation Department, the number of youth between the ages of 10 and 16 charged with THC possession increased from 16 cases in 2017 to a frightening 248 cases in 2019.

Why is the increase in THC possession so frightening? Persons caught in possession of THC in Texas may face felony charges, that could lead to fines, probation or jail time. In some cases, parents can also be charged and punished….

Together, Fearless, We Count - Census 2020

Posted on November 5, 2019 by Enrique Mata

What do all people living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have in common with El Paso residents? We all need to be counted for the 2020 Census. The data collected for the census are so vital to our community that a group of community leaders started the Paso del Norte Complete Count Committee (the CCC).

The CCC includes more than 40 representatives from organizations and agencies such as the City of El Paso, County of El Paso, Paso del…

Afterschool programs are key to healthy future for kids and the community

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Bianca De León

The school year is in full swing and that means busy schedules for parents and students.

Youth need more than classroom time, curricula, and good teachers to be successful. Study after study shows that afterschool programs have a wide-ranging benefit for children, including boosting academic performance, improving social skills, creating a more positive environment for children to learn and grow, promoting health, and encouraging other good habits such as leadership and time management.

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation’s IGNITE initiative aims to engage disconnected youth in the…

El Paso Child Guidance Center helping children, families by creating community of Trauma-Informed Care

Posted on September 17, 2019 by Guest Author

Psychological trauma comes in all forms and nobody is immune. Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. When such an event occurs, the overwhelming amount of stress can exceed one’s ability to cope with the emotions tied to that experience. If not addressed properly, trauma can have lasting effects on individuals and communities for years.

To help address trauma, El Paso Child Guidance Center (EPCGC) partnered with Paso del Norte Health Foundation to champion a culture of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) throughout the community. Our first steps were to invest in trainings and…

Kelly Memorial Food Pantry helps individuals overcome food insecurity

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Jana Renner

We’ve all heard the saying: “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

Every day in the El Paso region, there are thousands of individuals and families who suffer from food insecurity. According to FeedingAmerica.org, nearly 80,000 people in El Paso County suffer from food insecurity and about one out of every five children go hungry each day.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods or uncertain ability to acquire these foods in socially acceptable…

Creating a culture of Healthy Eating and Active Living is key to regional well-being

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Jana Renner

We’ve all heard from experts, physicians, friends and family about the benefits of eating healthier and leading an active lifestyle. Unfortunately, if these aren’t habits you picked up at an early age, they can be harder to develop later in life.

But with the help of La Semilla Food Center’s Edible Education and La Cosecha programs, students and community members of all ages in southern New Mexico and El Paso are not only learning the benefits of gardening, they are getting hands-on experiences growing, cultivating, and cooking fruits and vegetables.

The Edible Education program is…

Improving Patient Care through Data Sharing

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Guest Author

My daughter is not even two years old yet, but she already has medical records across El Paso. She was born at The Hospitals of Providence, has seen a specialist at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, has been to the emergency room at El Paso Children’s Hospital for a high fever, and has had labs done at a University Medical Center clinic. She is very young and healthy, but you can imagine how complicated it can get for those who are older and require more medical care. Providers need this vital information from across different organizations, particularly in emergency…

Is your child vaping?

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Bianca De León

You might not be aware of it, but there’s a new trend amongst teens that is sweeping the nation.

It’s not the latest K-pop boy group, or flashy sneakers. This trend can sometimes be harder to detect, making it more attractive to teens looking to conceal their new interest from parents and teachers.

The trend is vaping – the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette. E-cigarettes are devices that operate by heating a liquid solution to a high enough temperature so that it produces an aerosol that is inhaled. Vapes, vape pens, mods, tanks, juuls, and suorins are also common…

Gathering at the family table helps improve health

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Enrique Mata

As Spring weather approaches I look forward to finding some time to grill outdoors with my family and take advantage of some beautiful El Paso evenings. With my two daughters busy with school work and out of school activities, we must work hard to set aside at least one evening a week to gather at the family table. Studies show that there are multitude of benefits that come from eating together as a family. My own two decades of parental experience also reinforce that the mental health and emotional well-being benefits are too great to ignore.

Disconnecting from technology and the…