It’s the season of giving and as you think about possible year-end gifts, we invite you to consider one of the more than 100 charitable funds in the Paso del Norte Community Foundation.

Thanks to the generosity of so many individuals, families, small businesses, organizations, foundations and corporate partners, the Paso del Community Foundation (PdNCF) has been able to meet the immediate needs of the community, and work towards the future.

We have worked collaboratively with community partners such as the United Way of El Paso County, El Paso Apartment Association/Under One Roof, El Paso and Socorro Independent School Districts, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, as well as the City and County of El Paso, in support of COVID-19 response.  PdNCF facilitated over $8 million in COVID-19 response funding, including the management of the $6M EPRentHelp.org program, which helped over 2,900 families stay in their homes.  74% of rental assistance recipients were at or below 30% the Area Median Income (AMI), which is $17,650 in household income for a family of four; 99% were at or below 80% AMI.  An additional $1M in rental assistance was just announced and opened for applications this past week.  COVID-19 response funds further supported the Food Bank, food pantries, homeless shelters, childcare services, and mental health providers.

Individuals were also inspired to give back and take action as part of COVID-19 response.  PdNCF was honored to work with donors such as 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. 

The Fifth Annual El Paso Giving Day was held in October raising over $1.9M in funding for over 210 participating nonprofit organizations.  Walmart’s gift of $300,000.00 was motivation for nonprofits and donors alike to secure dollar-for-dollar matching funds up to $10,000 per nonprofit organization.  More donors gave as part of El Paso Giving Day than ever before, a true testament to El Paso’s giving spirit.  

The impactful work carried out through PDNCF’s 100+ funds continued throughout the pandemic, funding over 140 scholarships, and future projects like Moms on Board’s all-inclusive playground.  New funds such as Mija, Yes You Can and La Rodadora joined our community of philanthropy.  Our Donor Advised Funds grew to include the Judy and Kirk Robison Foundation. Community leaders, like Yolanda Arriola, will be forever remembered with legacy funds.

There is no doubt that this year has been one of the most challenging years in memory.  Families have endured the stresses of the pandemic; the community has benefitted from heartfelt generosity.  All forms of charitable giving, big and small, in time and money, add up to make a tremendous difference. 

If you are compelled to make a difference before the end of the year, we welcome gifts to a COVID-19 response fund or designated fund to improve health, education, social services, economic development and qualify in our region.  Special tax incentives make giving this year even more beneficial. The standard deduction still applies and donors 70 ½ or over can make a charitable gift through IRAs, tax-free.

Like everyone else, we look forward to the start of the new year and working with you to sustain this giving spirit. 

To learn more, visit www.pdnfoundation.org or to donate to one of our funds, click here.