Health Priorities, Initiatives & Programs

HEAL Initiative

The goals of the Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) initiative are to 1) increase fruit & vegetable consumption and improve portion control; 2) increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behavior; 3) create an environment that promotes healthy eating and active living without bias against obesity; and 4) achieve long-term sustainability of Paso del Norte Institute for Healthy Living (IHL) and HEAL initiative.

To achieve significant success in increasing healthy eating and active living on a large scale across the Paso del Norte region, the model of Collective Impact is employed with the IHL as a backbone organization. The IHL is a collaboration between Texas Tech Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, The University of Texas at El Paso, the UT School of Public Health, and the Paso del Norte Health Foundation.

Nutrition and physical activity have well documented effects on health. Regardless of weight, a high quality diet can combat many chronic diseases. Active living involves two important and distinct components: being physically active and minimizing sedentary time. The HEAL initiative places emphasis on program and policy interventions that positively impact large numbers of residents, are sustainable, can potentially be scaled, and have measurable results.

Strategic Plan

Program Lead: Jana Renner

Affiliated Grants

2019 HEAL: Arbol de Vida

2019 HEAL: Movimiento Saludable (MOVS)

2019 HEAL: "Off to a Good Start: Eating Our Way to a Healthy Life"

2019 HEAL: Edible Education and La Cosecha Community Education (Conditional 3 year grant)

2017 HEAL: NMSU Dietetics Intern Program