Relationships between Naco (pop. 6,000) and Bisbee (pop. 4,900) span generations, but the Chihuahuan Desert isolates Naco from the rest of Mexico. The nearest hospital is five hours away by car; a green grocery is an hour away.  

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Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and asthma are epidemic. Naco Wellness Initiative’s efforts to address these challenges have grown each year, led by cofounder and Director Tom Carlson, Naco residents, and dozens of Bisbee supporters. The clinics opened in the 2010s. Open five days a week, they offer health checks, physical therapy, vaccinations, and chronic disease monitoring. They also serve as community centers, hosting a Wednesday senior citizen outreach program with lunch; Zumba exercise, health, and cooking classes for all ages; and a Christmas celebration providing food and personalized gifts for about 400 of Naco’s most vulnerable families.

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“Nourishing people of all ages is like planting trees. We are building Naco’s health and education capacity for the future. An educated population is a resilient, thoughtful population, able to solve its own problems and anticipate needs.” – Mary Cavalier, NWI Board