In 2020-2021, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation launched a major initiative to support grantees, partners and community in the prevention and management of diabetes.
Based on data derived from a diabetes health assessment conducted for the Health Foundation by Health Resources in Action and complementary qualitative review by the University of Texas at El Paso (See Diabetes | Paso del Norte Health Foundation | El Paso, Texas (pdnhf.org), the Health Foundation is investing in evidence-based diabetes awareness, prevention, and management programs in partnership with local nonprofit organizations as well as a bi-directional diabetes referral system in partnership with PHIX Health Information Exchange. Working with the El Paso Center for Diabetes and The Diabetes Alliance, the Health Foundation has also piloted the Now What? campaign with plans for expansion.
The need is clear. (See Case for Support for Diabetes Funding Partnerships.) Approximately 16% of El Paso adult residents self-report a diabetes diagnosis. It is estimated that even more residents are undiagnosed or have pre-diabetes. Over time, diabetes can cause serious health problems such as heart disease, vision loss, foot problems, and need for kidney dialysis, and be an immediate greater risk with co-occurring threats like COVID-19.
While there is not yet a cure for diabetes, we know that proper weight, healthy eating, active living, medication management, and stress reduction can help prevent and/or reduce the negative effects of a diabetes diagnosis.
To expand the resources available and leverage the Health Foundation’s grantmaking in diabetes awareness, prevention and management, the Health Foundation has established the Paso del Norte Diabetes Fund to support resources for Diabetes Kids Camps, Now What diabetes awareness campaign and associated resources, and expanded Diabetes Education programs.
We invite you to join us in these efforts. You can make a gift broadly for to the Paso del Norte Diabetes Fund to leverage the Health Foundation’s grantmaking, or specify your gift for any one of these efforts.
Together we can change the course of diabetes for individuals and families in our community.
Paso del Norte Diabetes Fund
Current Priorities:
Kids Camps
With a growing number of kids with Type I and Type II diabetes in our region, special resources just for them including summer, weekend, and after school camps are essential to ensure that children 5-18 are equipped with the information and support they need to live healthy lives with a diabetes diagnosis.
Goal: $1 million endowment fund to support summer, weekend and after school camp programs for children with diabetes in perpetuity.
Now What Diabetes Awareness Campaign
The Now What Campaign was created to raise awareness about the urgency for individuals and families to take action with a diabetes or pre-diabetes diagnosis. The Now What campaign includes a comprehensive, informational webpage with important community resources to support diabetes management and self-care.
Goal: $1 million/year for 5 years to reach 100,000 El Pasoans per year in this call to action
Diabetes Education Programs
Evidence-based diabetes education programs are key to helping individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes manage the disease. While diabetes education providers can charge insurance companies for some of the cost of delivering courses, the rates fall far below the cost of delivering the program, and don’t cover any expense for the uninsured. Increasing resources will help diabetes education programs reach more eligible individuals and families with the information they need to manage diabetes and prevent complications from the disease.
Goal: $2 million/year for 5 years to support accredited diabetes education classes for the thousands who will benefit from learning how to manage diabetes.
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