Who We Are - Serving the Needs of the Community

The combined 2.2 million people living in El Paso and Hudspeth Counties of Texas, Doña Ana and Otero Counties of New Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico represent one of the largest urban border communities along the U.S./Mexico border. This region known as the Paso del Norte or Pass to the North has a 78 percent Hispanic population with high rates of unemployment and poverty, which translate into poor health.

Since Providence Memorial Hospital provided healthcare to a large indigent population, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation (PdNHF) felt the need to continue focusing on the economically disadvantaged by working to improve their understanding of the importance of good health.

To achieve this, the PdNHF developed a creative, pro-active approach to improving the long-term health of the community. Not only is this strategy new to the El Paso region, but it is also unique among health foundations throughout the country. The principles of education and prevention were used, which translate to the most cost-effective ways of improving the health of the people.

Funding opportunities
Recognizing that behavior and lifestyle significantly influence ones health, PdNHF used these factors to help shape early grant program development. Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Texas Department of Health, PdNHF conducted a community health needs assessment. The El Paso Health Report was the first comprehensive, scientific health survey for the entire El Paso County population. The data from the assessment served as the principle guide for grant making and provided baseline data for measuring results. In addition, it was an important and unique source of information regarding major health indicators in the community.

After reviewing a variety of grant making approaches, PdNHF decided against the traditional philanthropic model and took an active role by forming working partnerships with people and organizations at a community level. During these brain-storming collaborative gatherings, three levels of grants were identified: major initiative, program, and planning. It was determined that the program and planning grants would phase out over time and give way to major initiatives, which are multi-year, multi-million dollar commitments that serve as valuable purpose in giving direction for future efforts.

In 1996, the first set of diverse initiatives were introduced that covered issues in the community such as: clinic based health education for indigents, the sedentary population, water and waste improvements, healthier eating habits, increased exercise in elementary school children, helping disadvantaged communities improve their health, and reducing the incidence of teen pregnancy. Today, PdNHF has over 20 major initiatives addressing issues related to research, air quality, youth, early childhood development, aging population and others.

Moving forward, PdNHF is committed to continue developing quality initiatives that offer the people of the Paso del Norte region, the knowledge, resources and environment needed to live healthier lives.