ALBUQUERQUE — Zuni Youth Enrichment Project announced it recently received a $20,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico’s Blue Impact℠ initiative. The grant will allow Zuni Youth Enrichment Project to increase community wide trail access and improve health outcomes for Zuni residents.
“Our Zuni ancestors were farmers, ranchers and hunters, so physical activity was part of their daily lives,” said Tara Wolfe, ZYEP program manager. “During the times of the Pueblo Revolt, the Zuni’s were part of messenger teams that would hand deliver vital messages from pueblo to pueblo by means of running on trails. BCBSNM’s Blue Impact grant will allow us to increase the capacity of 60 miles of ancestral trails connecting Zuni neighborhoods, while also improving trail access, safety and performance.”
BCBSNM’s Blue Impact grant is part of an ongoing commitment to invest in and collaborate with community organizations that offer sustainable, measurable programs that address the social and economic factors impacting health and wellness in our state. ZYEP's mission to promote resilience among Zuni youth, so they grow into strong and healthy adults connected to Zuni traditions, aligns with the vision of Blue Impact to improve health outcomes in communities across New Mexico.
“Spending active time outdoors is essential to our mental and physical well-being,” said Janice Torrez, BCBSNM president. “We’re proud to support the health and well-being of Zuni residents by investing in programs that provide easy and safe access to outdoor trails and activities.”
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About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico is one of the largest commercial health insurers in New Mexico with approximately 700,000 New Mexicans carrying a Blue Cross and Blue Shield card. Since 1940, BCBSNM has been committed to promoting the health and wellness of its members and communities through accessible, cost-effective, quality health care. BCBSNM is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.