From Our Team

Parents need to pay attention to their own well-being for a healthy summertime

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Guest Author

The end of the school year is such a happy time with graduations, field trips, kid performances and summertime fun. Wait…Summertime? Kids out of school? This is a time that can quickly lead to high stress for many families, moms in particular. When kids are off from school with little to do, very tense situations can develop for parents.

To keep a happy and healthy home environment, parents should not ignore their own well-being. Signs that you may not be coping well with stress can manifest in the form of regular headaches, feeling angry, irritable, anxious or moody. The National…

Think Summer

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Bianca De León

As another school year ends and with summer on the horizon, it is not too early to start thinking about what kids will be doing during the summer break. To avoid the summertime cry of “I’m bored”, consider enrolling youth in a summer program. Planned activities by reputable organizations have the benefits of providing a safe environment for learning and making friends while also diverting youth from potentially harmful activity.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), first time use of marijuana amongst youth is highest during the summer…

Health Foundation Seeks Public Input on the Playa Drain Trail

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Tracy J. Yellen

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation (Health Foundation) is partnering with the City of El Paso and El Paso Water to build a linear trail on the Playa Drain from Ascarate Park to Riverside High School. The Playa Drain Trail will offer opportunities for recreation and physical activity (walking/biking) for use by residents throughout the region and as an alternative to driving for near-by residents, and is part of the Health Foundation’s commitment to making active living the easy choice in our region. The Playa Drain Trail project is possible because of the creativity and…

Test Anxiety can be overwhelming for kids

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Enrique Mata

March is a time in the school year when kids see increased benchmark tests, tutoring and other activity in preparation for state tests. This can be a stressful time for children, youth, teachers and parents. Any child can suffer from text anxiety.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), test anxiety can lead to symptoms such as: headache, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty concentrating, negative thoughts, and feelings of anger, helplessness and disappointment. The causes of test anxiety include:

• Fear of failure - Pressure to perform can act as a…

Qualities for Success

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Michael Kelly

What qualities do successful families, companies, schools, clubs, churches, governments, and other institutions have in common? This question is important to answer because if such qualities can be discovered then taught, learned, and practiced, society would benefit from a network of more successful institutions.

I have the good fortune of working with many successful people, so I asked them to help me answer the question. Their responses included: good communication, being empathetic or caring, acting ethically, and working as a team. Others cited being committed to a common goal…

A five year plan to develop healthy communities

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Tracy J. Yellen

Philanthropy can play a substantial role in the development of a healthy community.

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation was established 21 years ago from the sale of Providence Memorial Hospital to Tenet Healthcare Corporation for $130 million. This significant transaction established the Health Foundation as one of the largest private foundations on the U.S.-Mexico border with a central mission: to lead, leverage and invest in initiatives, programs and policies to promote health and prevent disease in the Paso del Norte region.

Since its inception, the Health Foundation has worked…

El Paso first city in Texas to adopt civil Social Host Ordinance

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Jana Renner

Parents concerned about their teens attending large underage drinking parties will soon breathe a little easier. On December 6th, 2016, El Paso became the first city in Texas to adopt a civil Social Host Ordinance. The ordinances hold adults accountable for providing an environment where underage parties take place. They have shown to reduce the number of large underage drinking parties in communities that adopt and enforce them.

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation commissioned a status report on underage drinking in El Paso this year. What we found is that alcohol is the leading…

Engaging disconnected youth in the Paso del Norte region

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Bianca De León

What do you get when you take 13 rural communities, 12 youth-serving organizations, and more than 1 million hours of youth activities? You get more than 8,000 youth who have a safe place to go after school, a trusted adult in their lives, and a space where they can explore, learn, and have fun.

The goal of the IGNITE Initiative at the Paso del Norte Health Foundation is to improve a range of health outcomes by engaging disconnected youth in out of school programs in the Paso del Norte region. The Health Foundation has invested more than 3 million dollars in youth-serving nonprofit…

Maintaining healthy eating habits during the holidays

Posted on November 14, 2016 by Leah Whigham

The holiday season is upon us, and many of us have a hard time maintaining healthy eating habits during this time of year. One approach is to focus on including more vegetables and fruits.

Adequate intake of vegetables and fruits is important for several reasons:

1. Many vegetables and fruits are good sources of nutrients that most of us don’t get enough of such as folate, potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K.
2. Eating vegetables and fruits is associated with decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart attacks and stroke) and some types of…

Do El Pasoans have enough food?

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Leah Whigham

Although economic times seem to have improved since the Great Recession, many people still struggle to make ends meet. One measure of this is food insecurity - limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.

Nationally, food insecurity has come down in the past 2 years. Data from 2014 show food insecurity in the US at 15.4%. El Paso fared better at 11%. However, if we consider data from households with children, food insecurity rates in El Paso climb to 25.5%, well above the US rate of 20.9%. To think that more than 1 in 4 of the children living in our county does not…