Fundación Paso del Norte 2020 Annual Report
Paso del Norte Health Foundation 2020 Annual Report

2020 Annual Report

Endurance Resilience Community

Where flowers bloom, so does hope. – Lady Bird Johnson

Like a cactus in the desert, 2020 highlighted our collective ability to face difficult circumstances with dignity and grace. We came together as a community to respond, support, survive, and grow.

A Letter From our Board Chair & CEO

Dear Friends:

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of individuals, families, small businesses, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations, the Paso del Community Foundation (PdNCF) rose to meet the challenges that defined 2020, while building for the future. 2020 underscored our collective ability to face difficult circumstances with dignity and grace. We came together with endurance, resilience, and community to respond, support, invest, and grow.

COVID-19 Response
- We set up the first of ten COVID-19 Response Funds in early March 2020 in partnership with the United Way to support homeless shelters, food banks/pantries, and social service organizations.
- Salt + Honey Owner Maggie Ashfhani established a fund to provide financial support to food and beverage workers in partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex.
- Led by Charles Horak, the EP Medical Equipment and Supply Fund was established to support local making of PPE for both sides of the border. The Juárez COVID-19 Fund further facilitated gifts to support COVID-19 response in Cd. Juárez.

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Dear Friends:

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of individuals, families, small businesses, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations, the Paso del Community Foundation (PdNCF) rose to meet the challenges that defined 2020, while building for the future. 2020 underscored our collective ability to face difficult circumstances with dignity and grace. We came together with endurance, resilience, and community to respond, support, invest, and grow.

COVID-19 Response

  • We set up the first of ten COVID-19 Response Funds in early March 2020 in partnership with the United Way to support homeless shelters, food banks/pantries, and social service organizations.

  • Salt + Honey Owner Maggie Ashfhani established a fund to provide financial support to food and beverage workers in partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex.

  • Led by Charles Horak, the EP Medical Equipment and Supply Fund was established to support local making of PPE for both sides of the border. The Juárez COVID-19 Fund further facilitated gifts to support COVID-19 response in Cd. Juárez.

  • With leadership from 21-year-old Nicholas Spurbeck and the Fortify the Heroes Fund, 8,000 meals were provided to our healthcare heroes in all area hospitals.

  • El Paso and Socorro Independent School Districts established the EPISD Cares and Socorro ISD Cares Funds to leverage matching gifts in support of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank.

  • A partnership with the City of El Paso and Under One Roof led to the creation of EPRentHelp.org to provide $7 million in rental assistance to thousands of families at risk of eviction.

  • A partnership with the County of El Paso supported the Reduce the Risk campaign, providing health and safety information to County residents with support from the Texas A&M Colonias Program, UTEP, and 70 promotoras.

In all, $8 million supported thousands of families and 36 organizations working on the frontlines.

Donor-Advised and Designated Funds

  • We worked with new and existing donor-advised and designated fund donors and partners, growing gifts and pledges by $13 million, with grants and charitable expenses of $12 million awarded from these funds.

  • We honored the legacy of Yolanda Arriola with a Memorial Fund for Children and welcomed the Kirk and Judy Robison Foundation, Laura and Pat Gordon Foundation, and generous gifts to multiple donor-advised funds.

  • The L. Frederick and Ginger G. Francis Foundation made possible leadership gifts to endow the Office of the President and all four deanships at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. Endowments for both Donor-Advised and Designated funds grew by more than $1 million.

  • Special projects, like the Moms on Board All-Inclusive Playground, hit fundraising goals to help realize their dreams.

  • Film industry advanced with a leadership gift from the Ford Foundation for the Femme Frontera Fund, and local films were featured in partnership with the El Paso Film Festival.

  • We welcomed the leadership and inspiration of Iris Lopez and the new Mija, Yes You Can! Fund and established a fund to facilitate gifts for La Rodadora Children’s Museum in Cuidad Juárez.

  • The Fundación Paso del Norte Fund completed its first 5-year $1 million challenge grant from the Hunt Family Foundation and welcomed a second 5-year $1 million challenge grant for Juárez-based nonprofits going forward.

  • We supported the U.S. Census Complete Count Committee which led to the City of E Paso finishing with a 68% response rate (El Paso County at 66.8%), ahead of Texas (62.8%) and the U.S. (67%).

Scholarship Funds

  • More than $205,000 in scholarships were awarded to 140 students to pursue a higher education through the EPISD Education Foundation, Deby Lewis Foundation, Carl L. and Sandra Wright Scholarship Fund for Women in STEM, Women’s Fund of El Paso, Nathan W. Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund, and Richard Castro Community Service Scholarship Fund. We welcomed the Ben Narbuth Kiwanis Club of Horizon City Endowed Scholarship.

El Paso Giving Day

  • The Fifth Annual El Paso Giving Day enjoyed another successful year with $1.9 million in gifts from 5,700 unique donors who gave 7,619 gifts to 216 participating organizations, including $300,000 in matching funds from Walmart and $31,000 in sponsored incentive prizes. Giving Day provided an important fundraising tool for nonprofits who could not host their usual in-person fundraising events this year.

August 3rd Anniversary and One Fund El Paso

  • Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the One Fund of El Paso Task Force and Board, we completed the distribution of 100% of the $11.8 million in funds for victims and families of the August 3rd shooting. We recognized loved ones with a special tribute video. With support from CommUnity en Acción (CEA), we awarded scholarships to support the educational goals of survivors.

Strategic Plan 2025

We engaged in a strategic planning process to guide the PDN Community Foundation’s work for the next five years with a commitment to Philanthropic Giving, Community Projects, Nonprofit Organizations, and Community Response.

In all, the PDN Community Foundation received $25.6 million in gifts and pledges from more than 6,800 donors and partners and contributed $23.5 million in grants and charitable expenses to support health, education, social services, economic development, and quality of life in our region. We invite you to learn more at pdnfoundation.org.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the pandemic, we are grateful for our healthcare heroes who responded with grace and stamina, and we are so appreciative of how our community came together, once again, to serve families in need. We are especially thankful to our board members, staff, donors, and partners for your leadership, generosity, hard work, patience, creativity, trust, faith, collaboration, and commitment.

Sincerely,

Hector Retta

Board Chair

Tracy J. Yellen

Chief Executive Officer

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Fund Information and Highlights

2020 was a challenging year with individuals and families across our region enduring the stress of the pandemic. In this extraordinary time of need, we witnessed extraordinary acts of generosity and kindness with charitable gifts, big and small, in time and money, that made a tremendous difference. 

COVID-19 Response
COVID-19 Response

The Paso del Norte Community Foundation (PdNCF) partnered with individuals, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to help the community respond to the most pressing needs related to COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Response

The Paso del Norte Community Foundation (PdNCF) partnered with individuals, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to help the community respond to the most pressing needs related to COVID-19.

The PdNCF facilitated more than $8 million in COVID-19 response funding, including the management of $7 million from the City of El Paso Treasury Cares Act and CDBG-CV funding to provide rental assistance through the EPRentHelp.org program, which helped more than 2,900 families stay in their homes.  COVID-19 response funds further supported families through gifts to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank, food pantries, homeless shelters, childcare services, and mental health providers. Individuals were also inspired to take action and give back including Maggie Asfahani, the owner of Salt + Honey, who established the El Paso Food and Beverage Workers Fund, Nicolas Spurbeck, a college student, who established the Fortify the Heroes Fund to provide meals to frontline healthcare workers, and Charles Horak, who established the EP COVID-19 Medical Equipment and Supply Fund to produce medical supplies for frontline workers on both sides of the border. 

“Restaurants, bars and coffee shops are inherently social places. The executive order mandated by the City related to the coronavirus pandemic forced many restaurants, including mine, to temporarily close and lay off the employees who are the backbone of my business.”

Maggie Asfahani Owner
Salt+Honey Bakery Café

Asfahani established the El Paso Food and Beverage Workers Fund within the Paso del Norte Community Foundation. The fund supported a grant to Workforce Solutions Borderplex along with generous donations from the community to provide support to qualifying food and beverage workers in El Paso, Sunland Park, and Santa Teresa, New Mexico who were laid off or working significantly reduced hours due to a temporary closure as a result of the pandemic.

August 3rd Remembrance
August 3rd Remembrance

A year after the world observed the tragedy of August 3, 2019, we we remember our loved ones who were needlessly taken, along with those who came together to provide support. On August 3, 2020, the Paso del Norte Community Foundation lit the star on the mountain to pay tribute to those we lost and to recognize the acts of generosity and kindness to support victims and their families. A tribute video and stories are available on the Paso del Norte Community Foundation website – www.pdnfoundation.org.

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August 3rd Remembrance

A year after the world observed the tragedy of August 3, 2019, we we remember our loved ones who were needlessly taken, along with those who came together to provide support. On August 3, 2020, the Paso del Norte Community Foundation lit the star on the mountain to pay tribute to those we lost and to recognize the acts of generosity and kindness to support victims and their families. A tribute video and stories are available on the Paso del Norte Community Foundation website – www.pdnfoundation.org.

The Paso del Norte Community Foundation established the El Paso Victims Relief Fund in the early hours of the tragic shooting of August 3 raising $5.86 million as part of One Fund El Paso, a partnership with the City of El Paso and the El Paso Community Foundation, which provided $11.8 million in direct assistance to victims and families. As part of its commitment to transparency and stewardship, One Fund El Paso worked with the National Compassion Fund to engage an external audit firm to conduct an independent review of the contributions and distributions made to support victims and families. The firm conducted the review in late 2020, after 100 percent of the funds were distributed per the distribution guidelines established with input from the public in the fall of 2019. The firm reported “no findings” to the One Fund of El Paso Task Force as a result of the review.

“We continue to be deeply affected by the needless tragedy of August 3rd that took too many lives and scarred so many more. We are thankful for the generosity of thousands of donors, near and far, who reached out to support victims and families. We are further thankful to the One Fund El Paso Task Force and Board for their oversight of this generosity to ensure that funds were allocated to support victims and families.”

Tracy J. Yellen CEO
Paso del Norte Community Foundation

Fifth Annual El Paso Giving Day
Fifth Annual El Paso Giving Day

On October 15, 2020, El Paso Giving Day celebrated its fifth anniversary providing an online charitable giving platform designed to ignite the spirit of giving and support nonprofit organizations and charitable causes in the community. Once again, thousands of Individuals answered the call contributing more than $1.9 million in funding for 216 participating nonprofit organizations to help meet the community’s needs. Walmart provided $300,000 in matching funds this year – which provided support to 82 organizations with a match ceiling of $10,000; $31,000 in incentive prizes further sparked giving this year. In all, a record 5,700 unique donors made 7,637 gifts as part of El Paso Giving Day, a true testament to El Paso’s giving spirit. 

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Fifth Annual El Paso Giving Day

On October 15, 2020, El Paso Giving Day celebrated its fifth anniversary providing an online charitable giving platform designed to ignite the spirit of giving and support nonprofit organizations and charitable causes in the community. Once again, thousands of Individuals answered the call contributing more than $1.9 million in funding for 216 participating nonprofit organizations to help meet the community’s needs. Walmart provided $300,000 in matching funds this year – which provided support to 82 organizations with a match ceiling of $10,000; $31,000 in incentive prizes further sparked giving this year. In all, a record 5,700 unique donors made 7,637 gifts as part of El Paso Giving Day, a true testament to El Paso’s giving spirit.  

“This was our first year to participate in El Paso Giving Day and were overjoyed by the support we received in building our fundraising campaign and the number of donors that contributed.”

Iris Lopez Founder/Executive Director
Mija, Yes you Can

Mija, Yes You Can is a nonprofit organization created by women FOR women to provide a platform that allows all women to come together to learn from each other, relate to each other and achieve their ambitions in life.

El Paso Giving Day is an online charitable campaign designed to highlight the essential work of nonprofit organizations and inspire the spirit of giving in the El Paso community. Founded in 2016 by the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, El Paso Giving Day has raised more than $6 million from thousands of donors for more than 200 nonprofit organizations.

El Paso Giving Day Grant List

Donor-Advised + Designated Funds
Donor-Advised + Designated Funds

One of the most effective ways to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the community is by starting a charitable giving fund. In 2020, several new funds joined the PdNCF’s community of philanthropy including the Mija, Yes You Can Fund and La Rodadora Fund.

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Donor-Advised + Designated Funds

One of the most effective ways to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the community is by starting a charitable giving fund. In 2020, several new funds joined the PdNCF’s community of philanthropy including the Mija, Yes You Can Fund and La Rodadora Fund.

The Foundation further welcomed new Donor-Advised Funds including the Judy and Kirk Robison Foundation and the Yolanda Arriola Memorial Fund for Children. These funds helped in growing new gifts and pledges by more than $13 million, with grants and charitable expenses to more than $12 million.

“We are pleased to work along side the Paso del Norte Community Foundation as they assist us in supporting our charitable organization.”

Judy Robison Community Advocate and Founder of Judy & Kirk Robison Foundation

List of Funds

Scholarship Fund
Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Funds create new opportunities for young people to reach their full potential. By providing scholarship support, new doors open and make a lifetime of impact for our community’s youth.

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Scholarship Fund

Scholarship Funds create new opportunities for young people to reach their full potential. By providing scholarship support, new doors open and make a lifetime of impact for our community’s youth.

In 2020, more than $206,000 was awarded to 140 students through several of the PdNCF’s scholarship funds including the EPISD Education Foundation, Deby Lewis Foundation, Women’s Fund of El Paso, Carl L. and Sandra Wright Scholarship Foundation for Women in STEM, and Richard Castro Community Service Scholarship Fund, among others.

“We offer scholarships to high school graduates who strive for academic achievement, community service, and community involvement. Because of our partnership with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and the community, we have been able to grow our contributions and provide additional scholarship support.”

Jessica Bernal Member of Canutillo Alumni Foundation for Education - CAFÉ

Scholarship List
Ann Yerby Memorial Scholarship Fund

Awarded $1,000 scholarship to one graduate.

Bowie High School Scholarship Fund
Awarded $1,000 scholarships to three graduates from Bowie High School Class of 2020.

Ben Narburth Kiwanis Club of Horizon City Ben Narbuth Endowed Scholarship
Awarded $1,000 scholarships to three graduates from Americas High School and San Elizario High School.

Carl L. & Sandra Wright Scholarship for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Awarded $5,000 scholarship to one graduate.

Canutillo Alumni Foundation for Education (CAFÉ)
Awarded $1,000 scholarships to 25 graduates from Canutillo High School and Northwestern Early College High School.

Deby Lewis Foundation

Awarded $1,000 scholarships to eight graduates from Eastwood High School.

EPISD Education Foundation

Awarded $71,500 to more than 77 seniors from their scholarship funds.

Lou Robustelli Memorial Scholarship Fund
Awarded $1,000 scholarship to one graduate.

Nathan W. Jones Memorial Scholarship

Awarded $1,000 scholarship to a junior at New Mexico State University.

The FirstLight Community Foundation
Awarded $1,000 scholarship to eight high school graduates from El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM.

Women’s Fund of El Paso

Awarded scholarships to 24 women to impact the educational and leadership advancement of women in El Paso, Hudspeth, and Doña Ana counties.

Grantmaking & Finances

Gifts
 
Grants & Charitable Expenses
 
Assets
*As of 12/31/2020

The Paso del Norte Community Foundation received $25.6 million in contributions as the result of 9,269 gifts from 6,867 donors for one or more of 100 charitable funds, invested $23.5 million in grants and charitable expenses in the community, and ended the year with $22 million in assets.

The Impact of PDNCF in 2020

Together, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation and Paso del Norte Community Foundation awarded a combined $35.5 million in grants and charitable projects in 2020 and $255.3 million since 1995 to improve health, education, social services, economic development and quality of life in the region, with total combined assets of $278.3 million, which includes $261.4 million in invested assets.

View Grant List
Contributions
Investments

A Community of Philanthropy

The Paso del Norte Community Foundation’s community of philanthropy includes designated, donor-advised, scholarship, and supporting organization funds that support a wide-range of charitable programs and projects that improve health, education, social services, economic development and quality of life in our binational, tri-state region.

In 2018, we expanded our partnership with the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, welcoming them as a supporting organization under our umbrella. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation was founded in 1995 to promote health and prevent disease in the region. This new relationship allows both foundations to better meet our shared vision and maximize operating efficiencies to ensure a greater return on investment for our community.

The Paso del Norte Community Foundation continued its partnership with the Fundación Paso del Norte para la Salud y Bienestar to facilitate and inspire philanthropy on both sides of the border. The Fundación Paso del Norte was established in 2015 to lead and promote partnerships and initiatives to improve health and quality of life for people in Ciudad Juárez. The Hunt Family Foundation is instrumental to this philanthropic work, matching fifty cents for every new dollar raised by selected nonprofit organizations in Ciudad Juárez up to $200,000 a year for five years.