.png)
CREATING A
MOSAIC OF IMPACT
.png)
.png)
A Letter from our
Board and CEO
Dear Friends:
Like a mosaic of Talavera tiles, whose vibrant colors and intricate patterns combine to tell a story of collaboration, dedication, artistry, and heritage, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation’s grantmaking, collaboration, and communications combine to create a Mosaic of Impact – promoting health and preventing disease in our binational, tri-state region.
In 2024, the Health Foundation invested more than $17 million in grants and charitable expenses with hundreds of grantees and community partners, bringing total grantmaking since inception to over $266.8 million. We ended the year with $288.6 million in assets, up from the initial $130 million in 1995.
In 2025, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary – a significant milestone and opportunity to affirm the vision of our founders: that the people of our region have the knowledge, resources, support and environment to lead happy, healthy and productive lives.
We are pleased to share the Mosaic of Impact in 2024 in our three priority areas thanks to the collaboration of grantees and community stakeholders:
Healthy Living
Disease Prevention and Management
Healthy Leadership
_edited.png)
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our board members, staff, community partners, and grantees for being an important part of this Mosaic of Impact. Your contributions drive our shared success, and we are grateful for your generosity and support.
We invite you to learn more
at pdnhf.org.
Annette Cordova-Hoy, M.D.
Board Chair
Tracy J. Yellen
CEO
Grant Information & Highlights
In 2024, the Health Foundation invested $17 million in grants and charitable expenses, partnering with 139 grantees to improve health and quality of life. These efforts are a testament to the strength of our partnerships, designed to address critical health needs while building a foundation for a healthier future.
Healthy Living
To support efforts that promote positive behaviors to help prevent disease, including healthy eating, physical activity, smoking/vaping prevention and positive opportunities for youth.
In 2024, the Health Foundation invested $5.19 million to support 59 grants under the Healthy Living priority area.
Healthy Eating
+
=
To make healthy eating a priority in our community by providing health education, policy and promotion.
HEALTHY LIVING
Helping Children with Feeding Difficulties
One of the most effective ways to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the community is by partnering with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and starting a charitable giving fund.
Mealtime can often be challenging, especially when encouraging your child to eat. To support specialized interventions for children with feeding difficulties, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation funded the Paso del Norte Children’s Development Center’s Feeding Clinic that provides treatment for children diagnosed with a Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) through the “Off to a Good Start” program.
The program is the first of its kind in the El Paso area, offering services to children ages 0 months to 21 years. Many of the participants struggle with malnutrition due to challenges in adopting healthy eating habits or physical difficulties using their lips, tongue, and jaw for safe eating and swallowing of food. Using the Sequential-Oral-Sensory (SOS) approach, therapists are highly trained to support both the children and their families throughout the treatment process.
Treatments are tailored to each patient, with parents actively participating in the therapy sessions and the overall treatment process. Parents also receive personalized coaching and guidance to continue their child’s progress at home through individualized programs.
Promoting the Consumption of
Fruits and Vegetables
One of the most effective ways to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the community is by partnering with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and starting a charitable giving fund.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 1 in 10 adults get enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diet, defined as five servings a day. Programs that offer access to fruits and vegetables along with programming to encourage in-take are essential to preventing disease such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
The Mustard Seeds Café’s Amigo Healthy Eating and Garden program educates participants on incorporating fruits and vegetables into their daily diets. Offered free on a first-come, first-serve basis, the program includes nutrition and cooking classes, promotes healthy portion control, and teaches children how to grow produce through gardening classes at its on-site Amigo Garden. Additionally, the Amigo Garden provides fresh-grown produce that supports the free meals served by the Café in the community.
Physical Activity
+
=
To make physical activity the easy choice for the residents of our region
through the promotion of exercise, outdoor activity, and trail and park development and use.
Paso del Norte Trail:
Connecting Communities and Enhancing Lives
The Paso del Norte Trail continues to expand throughout El Paso County, offering increased opportunities for recreation and connection. Whether you take your four-legged friend for a walk, enjoy a morning jog, or gather family and friends for a bike ride, the trail serves as a gateway to healthy, active living.
The Paso del Norte Trail is a community-driven, collaborative effort initiated by the Health Foundation to develop a 70-mile county-wide trail. The goal is to create a regionally significant landmark that promotes active transportation, preserves the history and culture of our region, highlights the Rio Grande River, supports economic development and ecotourism, provides educational and volunteer opportunities, and makes healthy living the easy choice for our unique, binational community.
Since 2019, the collaborative efforts of the City of El Paso, County of El Paso, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Paso del Norte Health Foundation, and the City of Socorro have yielded over $55 million in funding for trail design and construction. Nearly 20 miles of the trail have been completed, with an additional 28 miles funded for design and construction. This includes nearly all trail segments in the Mission Valley, stretching from Ascarate Park to Tornillo.
Beyond trail development, in partnership with the Paso del Norte Trail Foundation in the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, significant steps have been taken to enhance the trail’s environmental and aesthetic value, including funding for 385 new trees to be added along the trail this year.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT WWW.PASODELNORTETRAIL.ORG
Smoke/
Vape-Free Paso del Norte
+
=
To support coalition and media efforts to prevent and reduce the use of vaping devices through education and outreach to parents, teachers, and youth.
Building a Tobacco-Free Community
Thanks to the efforts of multiple regional partners, the percentage of high school students reporting previous 30-day use of any tobacco product declined from 12.6% to 10.1% from 2023 to 2024, a decrease largely driven by reductions in e-cigarette use, which dropped from 10% to 7.8%.
The Paso del Norte Tobacco Control Network, spearheaded by the Health Foundation’s Smoke-Free Paso del Norte Initiative in collaboration with Action for Healthy Kids, has played a pivotal role in fostering a tobacco-free community. The Network unites professionals from various organizations committed to reducing tobacco use.
A key initiative included comprehensive professional development presentations for school staff on “How to Identify Vaping Devices.” The training resonated strongly, with 95% of participants reporting they could immediately apply the information and 52% learning predominantly new content. An overwhelming 97% of attendees deemed the topic vital for their school community, highlighting the relevance and impact of these efforts.
Building on this success, the “Let’s Talk Youth Vaping” Training Day equipped 165 facilitators to deliver presentations to parents and caregivers across El Paso County, Texas, and Doña Ana County, New Mexico. This initiative underscores the commitment to education and prevention, creating a ripple effect that strengthens community efforts to combat youth tobacco use. E-cigarettes remained the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youth in 2024, followed by nicotine pouches, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey.
Healthy Kids
To improve a range of health outcomes by engaging disconnected youth ages 5-17 in high-quality programs during out-of-school hours.
Project ABLE: Empowering Youth Through the Arts
Creative Kids’ Project ABLE (Art Brokers’ Learning Experiences) is transforming the lives of disconnected youth, ages 5-17, in Fabens and San Elizario, Texas, and Gadsden, New Mexico. With funding from the Health Foundation, this after-school program provides a comprehensive arts curriculum led by trained artists, offering youth a safe and nurturing environment to explore creative expression and build critical life skills.
Through engaging projects such as painting, silk screening, graphic design, printmaking, and ceramics, Project ABLE fosters self-confidence, self-esteem, and leadership development. Participants are empowered to share their emotions, strengthen their identities, and form positive social connections—all while creating meaningful artwork.
Creative Kids, a nationally recognized youth development agency, continues to make a lasting impact in under-resourced border communities by equipping young people with tools for self-expression and personal growth.
Kids Can Youth Entrepreneur Program:
Building Skills for a Lifetime of Success
Generations of young entrepreneurs have shown that innovative thinking and a strong work ethic can create lasting success. The Kids Can Youth Entrepreneur Program (Kids Can-YEP) is dedicated to fostering these qualities in the youth of southern New Mexico.
The Kids Can-YEP program aims to equip at least 400 disconnected youth aged 6-17 with essential entrepreneurial skills through engaging and practical experiences teaching crucial life skills such as communication, financial literacy, leadership, personal empowerment, self-reliance, and teamwork. These skills help participants build confidence and a sense of connection to their future.
Delivered by the Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico, Kids Can-YEP operates across various settings, including after-school programs, summer camps, business fairs, workshops, and labs.
Providing Engaging Programs and Space for Teens
Out-of-school time programs are crucial for teens aged 11-17, promoting growth, safety, success, and improved health outcomes. The Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces (The Club) offers a safe space and positive activities with trusted adults where teens learn, connect, and thrive through academic support, mentorship, and skill-building opportunities. Programs like Total Teen Takeover empower teens to explore interests, build confidence, and reach their full potential.
Since 2018, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation has funded The Club to serve over 100 disconnected youth annually. In 2024, the Health Foundation awarded an additional $499,554* to adapt a wing of their newly purchased building into a Teen Center. This dedicated space will expand the club’s reach, connecting more teens with resources tailored to their needs, including technology labs, career exploration tools, and a safe gathering place.
The Teen Center will include a music room, a computer lab, and a homework lounge. Through workshops on civic engagement, financial literacy, and college readiness, it will empower youth transitioning into adulthood to become future leaders. By providing a teen-specific space, the Club aims to increase participation and deepen its impact on youth development in Las Cruces.
*This additional funding was made possible through the generosity of MacKenzie Scott, whose transformative support strengthens efforts to improve health and well-being across our region.
Rodis Jr.: Empowering Youth, Strengthening Communities
Espacio Interactivo La Rodadora, A.C.
The Rodis Junior program at La Rodadora in Ciudad Juárez aims to empower disconnected youth aged 15-17 by fostering identity, leadership, and positive community impact. Recognizing young people’s extraordinary potential, the program provides tools to strengthen their personal, social, and professional skills through engaging training sessions, interactive workshops, and hands-on activities. Following a structured cohort format, participants enter as part of a broader group and complete their participation with a graduation ceremony.
With funding from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, La Rodadora creates opportunities that inspire and uplift youth in Ciudad Juárez, with 982 RODIS JR. graduates since 2016. As active members of the BOOST Network, La Rodadora continuously works to strengthen their afterschool programs and practices allowing them to better contribute to the growth and development of youth in the community.
Disease Prevention and Management
To support and improve efforts to prevent and manage diabetes and mental illness across the region.
In 2024, the Health Foundation invested $3.85 million to support 48 grants under the Disease Prevention & Management priority area.
Diabetes
+
=
To develop, lead, and fund organizational and systems improvements, evidence-based programs, and awareness activities for diabetes prevention, early detection, and management.
$3 Million Grant to Expand Diabetes Education
One of the most effective ways to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the community is by partnering with the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and starting a charitable giving fund.
El Paso County faces a diabetes crisis, with an estimated 15% of adults affected by the disease. This percentage is higher than both Texas and national averages. Around 94,000 El Pasoans have been diagnosed with the disease, which places a significant burden on healthcare and communities.
To address this critical issue, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation awarded the El Paso Center for Diabetes a $3 million grant to enhance the Center’s educational programs and services, ensuring greater support for thousands of residents living with diabetes.
Since 2018, the Health Foundation has invested over $8 million in diabetes prevention and management initiatives. These efforts include the Now What Diabetes media campaign and resource website, spearheaded by the El Paso Center for Diabetes in collaboration with the Diabetes Alliance, a network of educators and physicians committed to improving diabetes care.
The El Paso Center for Diabetes also began construction on a state-of-the-art education facility. This new space will allow the Center to double its capacity, providing expert guidance from registered dietitians, nutritionists, and health educators to meet the community’s growing needs.
This transformative grant was made possible through the generosity of MacKenzie Scott, whose support strengthens our shared commitment to improving health and well-being in the region.
Funding to Screen for Diabetes at the Hunt School of Dental Medicine and Private Dental Practices
The Health Foundation awarded the Hunt School of Dental Medicine at Texas Tech Health El Paso a $166,990 grant to expand the school’s Diabetes and Dentist program. The program expands diabetes screening beyond the dental school to private dentistry practices in the community with early detection and resource referrals. Patients are asked to complete a questionnaire to help identify their diabetes risk levels. Those at risk are offered a free finger-prick blood screening, educational material, and resources.
The Diabetes and Community Dentist program welcomed four dentists to the program in 2024.
Improving Health Through Collaboration and Data Technology
Data are a powerful tool that healthcare professionals and advocates can use to improve the health of patients and communities. With support from the Health Foundation, PHIX, a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 to improve health through collaboration and data technology, expanded its health information exchange work to include data analysis and sharing. PHIX led the Diabetes Data Workgroup to analyze diabetes data and help medical professionals connect patients with vital resources, such as diabetes education.
PHIX focuses on multiple aspects of diabetes, including prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and Type 1 diabetes. By analyzing data at the zip code and demographic levels, such as age, PHIX identifies populations at greatest risk. This targeted approach supports patient education, promotora outreach, and other community programs that address health disparities.
DISEASE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT
Mental
Health & Emotional Well-Being
+
=
To develop, lead and invest in partnerships, organizations, programs and communications to promote emotional well-being, reduce stigma and negative bias, and improve access, ease of navigation, and continuity of care for mental and behavioral health services.
Mental Health Resources Made Available in Underserved Communities
The Local Collaborative 3 (LC3) was established to coordinate and improve behavioral health systems in southern New Mexico. With support from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, the LC3 advanced their work in 2024, engaging 1,325 attendees through 21 diverse training sessions, meetings, and events, awarding over 1,633 free Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and generating substantial cost savings for participants. LC3 membership increased by 407 individuals and organizations, fostering strong participation from behavioral health providers and government representatives.
The Health Foundation’s grant also extended LC3’s reach into rural areas, facilitating impactful events such as a mental health training in Hatch, NM, and a suicide prevention film screening in Deming, NM. These efforts were crucial in connecting underserved communities with vital behavioral health resources and promoting cross-sector collaboration. The Foundation’s support also enabled LC3 to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment, which informed the Strategic Reboot event organized to address systemic service gaps and shape actionable strategies for the future.
Cultivating Collaboration and Leveraging Resources to Benefit the Mental Health of Regional Residents
Collaboration is the cornerstone of the Health Foundation’s efforts to create effective and unified behavioral health service and support systems for the Paso del Norte region. These initiatives aim to reduce the burden of mental illness and improve recovery from substance use conditions by designing improved, efficient, and person-centered care.
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation awarded the Paso del Norte Center at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute a three-year, $1.5 million grant to develop and implement strategies to expand mental health programs and services in the region. This funding leverages the Meadows Institute’s relationships with state and federal governments to attract new investments and opportunities that enhance the region’s mental health services.
The PdN Center additionally supports collaborative efforts such as the El Paso Behavioral Health Consortium, Doña Ana Wellness Institute, and ROTMENAS collaborative in Cd. Juárez, providing technical assistance to Health Foundation grantees and partners, and aiding with data sharing, grant writing,and legislative policy and funding requests.
Notably, the PdN Center has facilitated efforts to secure significant funding and reimbursement parity for mental health projects in the Paso del Norte region, including an increase in service delivery grant commitments of $22 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through data informed briefings, and enhancing communication among stakeholders.
Health Leadership
To support leadership development for executives, boards of directors, and nonprofit organizations. Leverage resources through partnerships, invest in strategic initiatives and catalytic projects, and respond to immediate needs to benefit the region’s health.
In 2024, the Health Foundation invested $5.34 million to support 32 grants under the Health Leadership priority area.
Investing in Comprehensive Cancer Care: Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center at Texas Tech Health El Paso
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation advanced its commitment to health promotion and disease prevention with a $5 million* leadership grant to support the new Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center at Texas Tech Health El Paso. The Health Foundation’s investment will support the recruitment of top-tier cancer specialists in the areas breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecological cancer care along with patient navigators and a center director – a critical step toward improving cancer care and outcomes in the region.
A key focus of the grant is the establishment of a Patient Support Services Unit. Led by a dedicated director, the unit will prioritize a seamless, patient-centric experience. Services will include patient navigation, nutrition counseling, and other critical support to enhance care from the first point of contact.
*This transformative grant was made possible by the generosity of MacKenzie Scott, whose support strengthens efforts to improve the health and well-being of our region.
Addressing the Healthcare Workforce Shortage
Texas faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, with west Texas projected to have
a deficit of over 5,000 nurses by 2030—representing the state’s most severe shortage, with an unmet demand exceeding 30%. This challenge is particularly acute in El Paso and the surrounding region.
To address this urgent need, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation awarded a $4.5 million* matching grant to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to enhance its simulation labs and support the training of future healthcare providers.
The grant is part of UTEP Health, a comprehensive initiative designed to elevate healthcare standards across the region. This initiative supports more than 4,400 students in the College of Health Sciences, College of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, and other health professions, programs, and research. Specifically, the funding aims to increase the number of graduates in nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and related health fields, addressing both the quantity and quality of the regional healthcare workforce.
*Through the extraordinary generosity of MacKenzie Scott, this grant was made possible to support and strengthen our shared commitment to improving health and well-being in the region.
HEALTH LEADERSHIP
Grants and Finances
The Health Foundation ended the year with $288.6 million in assets, up from $130 million in 1995, keeping administrative expenses less than 1 percent of foundation assets and bringing total grantmaking since inception to more than $266.8 million.
$130 M
INITIAL ASSETS
IN 1995
<1%
ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES
$266.8 M
GRANTMAKING
SINCE INCEPTION
$288.6 M
TOTAL ASSETS
AS OF 12/31/2024
2024 Impact
The Health Foundation invested $17 million in grants and charitable expenses through 139 grants and contracts across three priority areas to expand individuals’ opportunities to live healthy lives. For a complete list of grantmaking and financials, visit pdnhf.org/annual-report.
2024
Grantmaking
$17 million
for 139 grants and charitable expenses
Priority Areas
Comparative Assets
A Community of Philanthropy
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation was established in 1995 from the sale of Providence Memorial Hospital to Tenet Healthcare Corporation with an initial $130 million from the sale proceeds. It is a supporting organization of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and works with the Fundación Paso del Norte, a Juárez-based nonprofit.
The Paso del Norte Community Foundation is a public charity established in 2013 to support the philanthropic goals of individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to improve education, health, social services, economic development, and quality of life in the Paso del Norte region.
The Fundación Paso del Norte is a Juárez-based nonprofit organization established in 2015 by the Health Foundation to lead and promote partnerships and initiatives to improve health and quality of life for people in the Ciudad Juárez, Mexico region.
2024 Board of Directors
Annette Cordova-Hoy, M.D.,
Board Chair and retired physician
Carlos Fernandez
Board Vice Chair, Merrill Lynch
Sereka Barlow
YWCA El Paso Del Norte Region
Joseph Bocanegra
NexGen Hyperbaric, LLC
Charles de Wetter
Community Advocate
Art Garza
Del Sol Medical Center
John Hummer
Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
Matt Kerr
Lauterbach, Borschow & Company
Linda Lawson
The Hospitals of Providence – Transmountain
Amy Marcus
Community Advocate
Susan Melendez
Community Advocate
Kristina Mena, PhD.
UT Health Houston School of Public Health
Marcela Navarette,
Community Advocate
Maria ‘Luby’ Prodanovic-Nutis, M.D.
Sun City Kidz Clinic
Adrian Rodriguez
Xcel Energy - Texas & New Mexico
2024 Paso del Norte Health Foundation Staff
Tracy J. Yellen
Chief Executive Officer
Faviola Calvo
Accountant I I
Sandra Day
Associate Program Officer
Juanita Galaviz
Program Administrator
Audrey Garcia
Program Officer
Marcela Garcia
Vice President of Finance
Mercedez Hernandez
Operations Support Assistant
Michael Kelly, Ph.D.
Vice President of Programs
Julia Lucero
Content Creator Associate
Ida Ortegon
Director of Communications
Claudia Perez
Program/IT Administrator
Jana Renner
Senior Program Officer
Diana Seabrooks
HR Administrator/Executive Assistant
Kristina Sparkman
Accountant II
Ashley Vargas
Accounting Support Assistant
2024 Support Staff
Kellie Burns-Franco
Director of Development
Rosemary Hernandez
Director of Accounting
Andrea Macias
Development Coordinator
Alejandra Martinez
Accountant I
Gonzalo Mendoza
Development Assistant
Monica Narvaez
Development Assistant
Mica Short ,
Vice President of Development
MISSION
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation leads, leverages, and invests in initiatives, programs, and policies that promote health and prevent disease in the Paso del Norte region.
VISION
To ensure that the people in our binational, tri-state region have the knowledge, resources, support, and environment to live happy, healthy, and productive lives.
Investing
in Health
CONTACT US
Visit pdnhf.org
Facebook : PdNHFoundation
221 N. Kansas, Suite 1900
El Paso, Texas 79901
health@pdnhf.org
(915) 544-7636
.png){kind=small}
LinkedIn: PdNHFoundation
Twitter: @PdNHFoundation
Instagram: @PdNHFoundation
Copyright © 2025 Paso del Norte Health Foundation | Disclaimer