From Our Team
It’s never too early to talk to kids about vaping
Posted on May 18, 2020 by Bianca De León
While the world is currently focused on the global public health crisis being caused by COVID-19, just over a year ago we were facing a different lung concern, E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury, or EVALI. This disease, though very different from the coronavirus, did show the lungs vulnerability to vaping devices.
It remains a good time to talk with your kids about the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes and using other tobacco or nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and vape devices. As smokers may be more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 and…
New Resources Available to Navigate through COVID-19
Posted on April 14, 2020 by Tracy J. Yellen
In just a few short weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost every facet of daily life in the Paso del Norte Region. Unchanged, however, is Paso del Norte Health Foundation’s mission to lead, leverage and invest in initiatives, programs, and policies that promote health and prevent disease in the Paso del Norte region.
That’s why the Health Foundation has created the EPCOVID19.org Information Hub and, in partnership with the Fundación Paso del Norte para la Salud y Bienestar, the JuarezCovid19.com Information Hub. The bilingual websites include…
REALIZE Executive experience helps emerging leaders to transform our region
Posted on March 17, 2020 by Dr. Michael Kelly
The dean of the UTEP School of Nursing, the Executive Director of the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence and dozens of other leaders are transforming the Paso del Norte region.
And their professional transformations were spurred on with REALIZE Executive, the Paso del North Health Foundation’s world-class leadership experience created and tailored specifically to our region in order to inspire and train its top-level and emerging management professionals.
“We worked with coaches and the cohort on thinking – specifically strategic and visionary thinking with a global view,”…
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…
