MacKenzie Scott, one of the world's wealthiest women, is once again supporting El Paso organizations. The author and philanthropist gifted $15 million to the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, officials announced.

Scott, known for supporting women's and racial equity organizations, donated $20 million to the YWCA in 2020.

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation's gift is a one-time, unrestricted gift to help its mission to lead and invest in initiatives and programs that promote health and prevent disease for residents in this binational, tri-state region.

Since its inception in 1995, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation has granted more than $230 million to over 300 nonprofit, academic and community partners to improve health outcomes in El Paso, Southern New Mexico and Juárez, according to a news release.

"We are so grateful to MacKenzie Scott for believing in our organization and investing so significantly in the health of our region," said Tracy J. Yellen, chief executive officer of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation and Paso del Norte Community Foundation. "This extraordinary gift will further our collaborative work with community organizations on the frontlines of health education and disease prevention."

The MacKenzie Scott gift comes at a critical time as the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgent need to address the challenges associated with good health.

"The pandemic has driven home the need to prevent the onset of and complications from the disease. This gift will supplement the resources the Health Foundation has available to invest in our network of community partners to improve health – from diabetes and mental health to access to information and care," said Charles de Wetter, chair of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation board of directors.

Providence Children's Hospital starts construction on NICU

Providence Children's Hospital began construction on a $15 million neonatal intensive care unit.

Construction kicked off Oct. 12 and will consist of a state-of-the-art NICU with private suits and advanced technology to care for the sickest of babies. The project is set to be completed in fall 2023 and will offer the newest NICU in El Paso.

"We are incredibly proud of our highly-skilled NICU team who already offer each baby the highest level of care, and now with this new NICU, we will have an atmosphere that matches this same level of skill and expertise," said Rob J. Anderson, chief executive officer for The Hospitals of Providence and Providence Children's Hospital.

"Having a baby in the NICU can be an extremely stressful time for any parent, our goal is to offer a comfortable and soothing atmosphere for parents and families until they can take their little one home," he added.

Providence Children's Hospital offers a Level IV NICU, providing the highest level of care for critically ill infants or infants needing additional care, according to a news release.

"We look forward to opening the new unit next fall," Anderson said. "We are proud to continue investing in our community to provide our patients the high-quality care they deserve close to home."

More than 200 nonprofits gearing up for El Paso Giving Day

Early donations have begun for the Seventh Annual El Paso Giving Day, when the community shows support for more than 200 nonprofit organizations through monetary donations. Giving Day runs through Oct. 19.

El Paso Giving Day, presented by the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, is Oct. 20.

"El Paso Giving Day showcases El Paso's commitment to our local nonprofits," said Andrea Macias, Paso del Norte Community Foundation development coordinator. "Early Giving is just the start. El Paso Giving Day is an important and critical fundraising event for nonprofits in our community. This is a great opportunity to come together and help nonprofit organizations expand their services to better our community."

This year, 215 nonprofits are registered to participate. Nonprofits range in size from small (budget up to $250,000), medium (budget between $250,000 to $500,000) and large (budget of $500,00 and higher).

Community members can donate at least $10 to their favorite nonprofit organization as part of El Paso Giving Day at elpasogivingday.org.

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María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com, @EPTMaria on Twitter; eptmariacg on TikTok.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: MacKenzie Scott gives $15 million to Paso del Norte Health Foundation