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- By Native News Online Staff
The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP) announced that it recently received a $20,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico’s Blue Impact initiative 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,” Tara Wolfe, ZYEP program manager, said. “During the times of the Pueblo Revolt, the Zunis 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.”
The 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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